


Marine Biology

by enkelimagnus



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Bisexual Maia Roberts, Deities, F/F, Healing, Lesbian Clary Fray, Mermaids, Simon Lewis & Maia Roberts Friendship, Temporary Character Death, past abusive relationships, past jordan/maia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-06-26 19:51:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15670134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enkelimagnus/pseuds/enkelimagnus
Summary: The door of the inn she had booked a room in was painted a bright blue. So were the nails of the young woman at the reception. And her tank top. Not her eyes though, they were hazel.And the fact that Maia had noticed that immediately after meeting her was because she was staring. The girl was… beautiful.When Maia Roberts moved to Alicante, ME, to get away from the ghosts of her New York past, she found more than she had bargained for.Blue sky, fresh food, and the green-hazel eyes of Clary Fray, a woman with more secrets than one would originally believe.Learning to love herself and love others again is a difficult journey that Maia is steadfast on.





	1. Moving to the Shore

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I ever finish a fic. I know, shocker, but I've never ever finished a fic in my life, only ever one-shots, or little two-parts things. 
> 
> This fic wouldn't have been possible without the help of my beta @atraeris, my artist @la-muerta, my dearest friends @lewispanda, and @raphaelgacetiago, @some-thrilling-heroics, @tenderalec, @galapae and all those who have support me through this. 
> 
> Thank you do the amazing people of ShHiatusBang. 
> 
> This is a story that I've wanted to tell for a moment, and though the final product is not what I was expecting, I'm still a sucker for some Mermaid action. Enjoy!

The first thing Maia Roberts noticed as she was walking through the main square of the little town of Alicante, ME, was the towering fountain that stood proudly in the middle of it. 

More specifically, she noticed the carving of two men holding hands that was proudly on one of the six panels of the hexagon-shaped pillar in the center of it. 

The carving was, without question, showing two men in a romantic manner, standing face to face, hands held in between them. She checked the metal sign that had been set into the reservoir of the fountain. It read that the fountain was dated back to 946 A.D. 

Somehow, in the little town she’d chosen to settle in to research the rare species of fish that lived in the nearby bay, there was a carving of a same-gender couple on a statue in the main square. Dated back to the 10th century. Still intact, in perfect condition, and seemingly respected by every inhabitant. 

Maia had nothing against men loving men. She was actually bisexual herself, and the LGBTQ+ scene of New York was one she occasionally wandered in. Her roommate back in New York was a proud pansexual man. She knew and loved people of all genders and orientations, and she had zero problems with a carving of two men together. 

She was more surprised about the fact that it had remained intact since before the colonization of America by the English. 

She pulled her suitcase around the fountain, taking in the carvings on the other panels. On the two panels that followed were two other couples, represented in similar positions, and both seemingly of opposite genders. The third one was blank, untouched, and it hadn’t even been tagged by some trouble-making teenagers. The fourth was of a child, and the fifth was… 

She could only say it seemed to be a letter, but the actual meaning of it was… unknown to her. She shrugged it off, and continued to pull her suitcase across the square, following the directions on her phone. If she was curious again, she’d ask around in the town. Someone would probably know. 

It was three in the afternoon. Some shops were open, but everything was quiet. Maia hadn’t expected the sun to be this warm, even if it was the middle of June. 

She would probably miss New York. She’d never lived in the countryside, growing up in the biggest city of New Jersey, and moving to New York at sixteen. She knew the calm of Alicante would keep her awake for the first few nights at least. Silence like that wasn’t natural to her. 

Despite everything, she was glad to be there. She was alone, she was doing good, and her life could start again, brand new and happy. She could make new friends, and study what she wanted. She could be happy, or as happy as possible, in this beautiful town, where people smiled at her as she walked by the bakery. 

The door of the inn she had booked a room in was painted a bright blue. So were the nails of the young woman at the reception. And her tank top. Not her eyes though, they were hazel.

And the fact that Maia had noticed that immediately after meeting her was because she was staring. The girl was… beautiful. 

“Hey, Welcome to the Ocean Inn, I’m Clary, how can I help you?” She said, voice cheerful and her smile genuine. 

“Maia. Maia Roberts.” Maia smiled back. The woman had sunshine in her eyes. “I have a room booked for two weeks.” 

The receptionist looked down, and her red hair fell in front of her eyes as she went through the calendar on her computer. There was something about her, maybe the freckles on her nose and cheeks, or maybe just the lack of tension in her shoulders. 

“I see.” She hummed after a few seconds, reaching to retrieve a key from under the desk. “You’re in room 8. Don’t tell anyone, but I gave you the one with the nicest view.” She gave her a wink. Maia felt her heart stop. 

She smiled back, taking the key. “Thank you, for the upgrade. I’ll keep it secret, promise.” She replied, as teasing as the girl had been. 

“Perfect,” Clary chuckled, smiling brightly at the other woman. Her nose was scrunched a little, in a way that was adorable. 

“Any nice place to get some dinner tonight, that you could recommend?” Maia asked curiously. 

“Hmm. I recommend the pizzeria further on the harbor. It’s relatively small, and it’s casual, and their pizzas are amazing.” The woman recommended, smiling still. 

Well, if this was what the welcoming party was in Alicante, she guessed she could enjoy herself here. She needed to start searching for an apartment, or decide if she wanted to stay in the inn for a while. 

With such a charming receptionist, the inn seemed like an amazing option. As she walked up the stairs, her suitcase in hand, Maia decided that she would try to strike up more conversations with this Clary. If she wasn’t into girls, at least she would make a great friend. 

Maia laid down on the bed of the room she’d booked. The decoration was simple, cream walls with dark brown accent, and a sky blue painting on the wall opposite the bed. Blue was a theme in this place. 

After a few minutes of looking at the ceiling contemplating her life choices, Maia sat up and looked through the window. The inn was on the harbor, and the ocean was stretching out endlessly. From the window, on the third floor, she could see a bit of a beach further away. 

The decision was easy to make, and she fished her swimsuit, sunscreen, and beach bag out of the suitcase. She added a book, water and sunglasses, as well as a towel she took from the bathroom. 

Before leaving, she paused. Maia reached into the pocket of her back and took out a small menorah. She gently put it down on the window sill. There. It meant she was home now. 

She changed her heeled boots for sandals and walked back down the stairs. The girl was on her phone, texting away. She gave her a cute wave as Maia walked past. 

Maia walked out into the sunlight of the afternoon, and towards the beach. The weather was perfect to just lay there and tan, and read quietly. 

This town was beautiful. Her life could be this beautiful now that she was away from New York, New Jersey, and Jordan. She could just rest, read and tan and swim in the gorgeous waters of the Idris Bay, and rebuild herself again. Stronger, happier. 

\----

Clary Fray had always known life in the small town of Alicante. Her days had always been spent with her family, swimming in the ocean and watching the fish. She’d always been happy here. 

Nothing was going to change that, but she did feel a little lonely. She had a few friends, mostly from the community she was a part of, but few of her age, and few that she could actually date. Her friends were all dating people, and had been with those people for as long as she could remember. 

It was beautiful, to live in Alicante. The town was a home, and somehow, the biggest of storms always seemed to pass them. They had vines, and fish, and fruits and happiness. But it was small. And in small towns, everyone knew immediately if someone else was a local, or a tourist. 

Clary hadn’t recognized the name under which the booking was, and hadn’t expected someone she’d know to appear to take residence for two weeks in the inn. The woman that was now laying on the beach, Maia Roberts, was more beautiful than many of the girls Clary knew. 

She was the kind of person that Clary yearned to know. She was beautiful, and came from New York, a big city that was full of dreams and people, and things Clary wouldn’t know. And there was… something about her. A bit of sadness maybe in her eyes, and something Clary had decided didn’t belong on such a beautiful face. 

Maia Roberts. It was a pretty name too. A name that tasted like smiles. 

She was lost in her thoughts, the book she’d been trying to read - insert classic name - on her lap, when the door of the inn opened again. On the woman that had been occupying Clary’s thoughts. She looked a bit tired, after spending two or three hours on the beach and in the sun. 

"Hey." She stood up and straightened the wrinkles on her shirt. "Have you enjoyed our beach so far?" 

That was a lame conversation starter, but it was also a genuine question. Maia did seem the kind of mellow you get when you spend a while reading in the sunlight, the rays warming your shoulder blades. 

“It was great. Very. I wonder what’s past the fence further north though.” 

Clary nodded. It was a simple picket fence, with wood that had been blanched by the sun and the salt, and a sign saying “private property”, cutting the beach in half. It was the sign of the Lightwoods’ property, and the beach was private. 

"It's the property of the Lightwoods. They are an old local family, and they have a mansion up north. An amazing piece of land, if you ask me. You'll probably meet them, it's a rather small town." 

The Lightwoods were… an old family. In more ways than one. It seemed like they’d always been in Alicante. That they’d been there forever. 

"If you are looking for a great place to enjoy the beach even more I would recommend going more south. Few people go there but it has an amazing cove with a very clean water. You could see all the stones and shells at the bottom." 

The coves located at the Lightwood property were even better but those were the ones Clary visited when she had to come back to the water, so not something she wanted Maia to see. 

Maia nodded, licking her lips. They tasted like salt after swimming around, and she thought about a shower more than anything else, to wash the sun and the sea off of her skin. She’d spent a few hours laying like a lizard in the sun, soaking in the summer air of the day. It was... relaxing.   
Going to the cove in the south seemed like an amazing idea. Truly. 

“Would you....” Maia stopped, hesitating for a moment. She’d known the woman for a couple hours. Maybe she should wait more before asking... It was stupid. She didn’t want to frak the woman out. After all, she didn’t know much about her. Maybe she didn’t want to spend time with her. Maybe she didn’t like women. Maybe she didn’t want another friend, maybe, maybe… 

“Would you show me those coves?” She finally blurted out. “I’d love for a local to show me all the secrets of the sea around here.” She chuckled, tucking a wild piece of hair behind her ear, she needed a shampoo and maybe some braiding. She doubted there would be a nice braiding salon around here. “Of course, you must be busy. Don’t worry, if you can’t.”

Clary waited, holding her breath, for Maia to finish the sentence. Her mind supplied a few possible sentences, from 'would you direct me to another restaurant' to 'would you like to grab dinner with me'. All were things she would say 'yes' to. It was rare pretty girls like this came in the town. 

"I'd love to take a small tour with you. Best guide in Alicante, at your service. Available Tuesday through Thursday at 4pm and Friday through Monday till 4pm." 

Maia laughed at the small twirl and bow the redhead did behind the desk, accompanied by noises of things falling on the floor, dislodged from their place by the sudden motion, and a bump of her hips. This woman was adorable. “That sounds amazing. So... this weekend? Trip to the coves?” She asked. 

“Saturday, at 5?” Clary asked, and after Maia’s nod, she added. “I’ll pick you up. Since I know where you live.” 

Maia had a chuckle, and Clary immediately realized how it had sounded. Fuck. She was a mess at this. She needed to be friendly, and flirty, not… creepy. She sighed, and apologized.

“Sorry. I would have never thought I could go from flirty to sounding like a serial killer in 0.3 second." She crouched to gather the items that had fallen, to distract herself, and to hide the flaming red of her cheeks. She was a mess, she was a mess, what a mess. She finally emerged again. "What do you think about the rest of the town?” She was curious. She’d never been away, it was all she knew. Maybe the… homey feeling of it didn’t translate to outsiders. 

Maia thought about the question for a moment. The town was... it felt old. In a way Maia couldn’t explain. From the viking-era statue to the atmosphere of it. Century old trees and... she’d crossed the eyes of a man with eyes that seemed wise in a way she couldn’t grasp. She wanted to know everything about it. Starting with Clary’s number. Especially since she now knew the girl was flirting with her.   
Maia smiled and leaned against the desk. “It’s beautiful, calm.” She explained. It was. Serene, too,like she’d never really experienced before. It was great. “Very nice. I wonder why it’s not... bigger. With more people.” This town was a pearl. It was… precious and soft. A rare oasis in the busy life Maia had led until then. 

"It's not a very well-known spot on the map. Only one of the many cities next to the sea. People come and go, grow up and move out then come back after a few years with their families. It's a beautiful place to settle down but not the best if you want to explore and see the world." Clary’s eyes traveled dreamily to the window and she had to keep herself from sighing. "It definitely has its charm."

There was a melancholy in Clary’s voice that Maia was curious about. “Were you born here?” She wondered. 

Clary nodded. “Yes. Born. And raised.” She’d been born in the ocean, a night of storm, with crashing tides. She’d been raised in the ocean. She’d eventually moved to the shore, but… she’d never really left the area. 

“You’re from New York. What is it like?” She asked, looking intently at the other woman now. 

“It’s… busy.” Maia shrugged. “It’s always moving, always changing, like…”

“Like the sea.” Clary offered. 

Maia nodded. “Yes. New York is like the sea. And this… is like moving to the shore.”


	2. Rainbow Scales

A few days after her arrival, Maia had settled into a pleasant routine. Every morning, she went for a run along the beach, and she came back for breakfast at the inn. Every morning, she chatted with Clary Fray, the girl at the reception. 

This was her life now. A small town on the shore, a hotel room and the calm of a stress-free life. Smiling at the beautiful girl at the desk downstairs, and wondering what to do that day. Swim, search for a home or go through books and studies on the Sunset Fish. 

Clary was a native of the region. She lived in a cabin a couple of kilometers from the center of the town, North from where Maia usually went to run, and swim in the afternoon. Two weeks after her first swim on that beach, she’d yet to explore the other side of it, beyond the wooden fence that divided it. Did Clary own the beach next to her cabin? She’d told her on the first day that the area belonged to the Lightwoods. Maia had yet to meet any of them. 

It was Saturday, and it was 5pm, and as they had planned, Clary was taking the new girl on a tour of the couple of coves on the south side of the beach. Clary knew every centimeter of the bay, both shore and sea. Showing those to Maia was exciting. 

They’d kept flirting every morning, exchanging looks and regular soft touches, but nothing that either would deem as too far. To anyone looking, they just looked very friendly with each other. 

Maia seemed to be enjoying her stay. She’d told Clary that she wanted to search for an apartment in the area, and that she would stay in the inn until she could find another accomodation. Clary had almost offered her the other room of her cabin, but they’d only known each other for three days. 

They were walking quietly down the beach, enjoying the warm sun of the end of the afternoon on their faces. They played a light version of twenty questions. 

“What’s your middle name?” Maia asked softly. 

“Adele. Clarissa Adele Morgenstern.” 

“Where does Clary Fray come from?” Maia asked this time, genuinely curious. Morgenstern was a name that rang a bell. She didn’t remember where she knew it from. 

“Fairchild is my mom’s maiden name. Fray is just a shorter version. I changed when I moved out. Clary is also a shorter version of Clarissa.” 

“My name’s not as complicated. Actually, I don’t have a middle name.” 

Clary chuckled. “Yeah. I don’t know what my parents were thinking. But well.” She shrugged. She wore a baseball cap and sunglasses to protect her fair skin from the sun. “My turn. Do you hate your job?” 

Maia shook her head. “Well, my job currently consists of researching fish and swimming to observe them, so, I’m pretty good.” She laughed. “Do you?” 

“I don’t. It’s a bit lonely and repetitive, but in a small town, the job options aren’t that great.” the redhead pointed out. 

Maia could understand. In small towns, there weren’t many options, and in big cities, the standards were so high that few people could actually get the jobs they were interviewing for. She thought for a moment about a new question for her. There was one that came to mind, but it was personal. Maybe too personal, for two women that were kinda-flirting and hadn’t known each other for too long. 

“Do you fall in love too easily?” 

Clary was silent for a while after that. It was a strange question, and the air between them had shifted a little. They weren’t as smiley anymore, more quiet. The waves crashed against the sand too loudly. 

“I guess.” She muttered. She already was developing something for Maia. Maybe not love, definitely not love, but her crush was present. There was some stupid cliché saying about lesbians and how they went so fast in relationships, but fuck it was true. For Clary, sometimes it was easy to think the best of people, to open her heart to them, but she’d learned the hard way to be a bit more cautious. 

She didn’t have the luxury of a large dating pool. She’d maybe had one girlfriend before, but then the girl had ended up moving away, to a bigger city, and Clary had been alone again. Alicante wasn’t exactly a buzzing metropolis boasting a plethora of proudly sapphic women around for her to date.. 

“I don’t.” Maia gave her own reply, to try and ease the now uncertain and tense silence between them. She didn’t. At least not anymore. At least she hoped she didn’t anymore. Jordan had left her hollow, had left her estranged from her own self. His tries to shape her into something he would deem enough had left her empty and hurt. It had been months but she still couldn’t do things the way she used to. 

She looked behind her as she walked, looked for shadows in the night, checked her door regularly. She couldn’t sleep without a chair under the doorknob. some nights she just couldn’t. 

Thus far in Alicante, she hadn’t been awakened by anxiety or nightmares, and it had been a welcome reprieve.. Maybe there was something guarding her from the memories and the trauma, or maybe it was just luck. Either way, a part of her wanted to never have a relationship again. 

The other part, small and forever romantic, yearned for true love and someone to care for her. 

They stayed silent for a while after that. For minutes, until they reached the first cove and Maia had to take Clary’s hand to make sure they weren’t separated in the narrow passageway carved by water and time into the rock. 

They walked for a moment like that, Maia’s hand in Clary’s. Clary warning her of steps and holes and parts where she could hurt her head against the suddenly lowering ‘ceiling’. Eventually, the passage opened on the cove. 

The water was crystal clear, so clear that the sand, stones and fish in the bottom were visible. It didn’t look incredibly deep, just big enough to allow the experience of insignificance that large bodies of water often instilled.

The stone was relatively smooth, and the sand was soft, and warm, just enough to be pleasant. It was quiet and secluded, and perfect in a way- like a small cocoon of fantasy. Here they could escape everything, be someone else, imagine themselves as pirates and mermaids, as age-old deities of the sea. 

Maia was still holding Clary’s hand as she gaped around the cove. The redhead was watching her. Watching Maia discover the beauty of the cove was beautiful. Her eyes were wide and her mouth open, and she turned slowly, as if she was panning the camera of her mind around, taking in every detail. It brought the smile back to Clary’s face. 

When Maia broke into a smile, Clary felt her heart make a tiny loop. Maia’s eyes were glowing with an excitement that was difficult to ignore. 

“You like girls, right?” 

Clary blushed furiously when she realized she’d blurted that out loud, making Maia laugh loudly. She’d been surprised by the sudden question, but hadn’t missed the way Clary was devouring her with her eyes. It was… good, to be looked like that again. 

“Yes. I’m bisexual.” She replied, her smile even wider now. 

Clary grinned back. “I’m gay. So. Girls.” She muttered and licked her lips. And then she moved back a little. “Let’s get into the water, shall we?” She asked, slipping off her tank top and her shorts leaving her in only her swimsuit. 

She usually went to swim naked, feeling way more free without a swimsuit top on, and knowing putting the bottom part on was a waste of time and money, since the fabric would resist the change in her anatomy. 

Clary dove in head first, sighing internally when her heated skin hit the water. She could feel the call to shift, to turn into her other form and be at home with the water. Holding her breath, when she could just shift and breathe with no worries, was unnatural. But she held it in. 

This wasn’t even a first date. Revealing what she was now would be… dangerous. 

Maia watched as Clary dove in with the grace of… she didn’t even know how to explain how elegant and seamless Clary diving into the cove was. She slipped off her shorts and tshirt as well before getting into the water. She didn’t dive, just sat on the edge of the rock and pushed herself into the water. It was fresh. 

Clary’s head re-appeared next to her after a couple of seconds. She was smiling widely. 

“Isn’t this amazing?” She chuckled. 

Maia nodded, before she let herself be submerged for a second. She didn’t open her eyes, even if she wanted to. She’d forgotten her mask and scuba, but she would definitely bring them the next time she was here. 

Clary was so glad for humans’ inability to see properly in salted water. If Maia had seen her skin now, maybe she would have noticed the shimmering rainbow of tiny scales over Clary’s skin, that peaked when she didn’t focus on not shifting entirely. 

They were usually not discernable to human eye, at least, most humans who saw her wet skin believed it was just the light reflecting on the water droplets that covered her. But they were there still, reminding her that she was not like them. 

Maia re-emerged and smiled widely at her. Her skin looked darker through the water, her smile was just as beautiful, and she looked gorgeous. 

“This is a… a fantasy place.” Maia whispered. She was in awe of the clear blue of the water, of the way Clary looked like this, reflection of the sun rays dancing on her face, mixing with the fiery red of her hair. Her eyes looked more green in this light, mossy with just a tint of brown 

“Kinda feels like it, indeed. It’s not as nice in winter, but it can still be pretty cool to put up a fire on the sand and stay in the cove. It’s protected, and the water can lull you to sleep.” She explained. 

“Then we should come back when it will be colder.”

Clary hummed. “You’re really going to move out here? You’re really staying?” 

Maia licked her lips and rested her head against the smooth stone behind her. She sighed. “I… For now, New York is not somewhere I feel safe. Alicante is somewhere I won’t bump into my demons as easily.” Few people knew where Maia had gone to. And these people were people she trusted fully, trusted not to go and tell Jordan. So he wouldn’t come here, come after her again. 

Clary watched her, a soft but sad smile on her face. “I’m sad you had to leave your home, no matter what made you go. I can’t promise you will love staying here for long, Alicante is small and bland and boring, but I can tell you I will do my best to show you the good things and help you enjoy your life here for as long as you want to stay.” 

Maia blushed, looking away. It was… unexpected. She hadn’t thought she would find this in Alicante. A gorgeous girl who, barely knowing her, whispered promises of days spent together. 

They spent the next three hours in the cove and on the beach next to it. Regularly, they tried to get out of the water and go explore more, but neither of them wanted to really get out, get dry and leave again. 

Maia hadn’t felt this relaxed in a while, she realized after bidding Clary goodbye for the night, a slice of pizza - from a truck that came to Alicante every Saturday - in hand. She walked back to her bedroom and took a bath, blessing the comfort of this inn again and again. 

She was still wet, from the softly rose-scented bath she’d taken, a towel wrapped around her torso, in case anyone could see into the room, when she leaned against the window sill, watching the sunset on the ocean. 

Soon, she was snuggling into the soft cream sheets, wet hair wrapped in a silk towel and her head resting on the turquoise blue pillow. She stayed like that for a moment, laying on her back, looking up at the ceiling plunged in darkness and shadows of the night. 

She felt heavy, a content, sleepy heaviness that seemed to make her sink into the deliciously soft mattress more and more. Heavy from hours in the sun, hours in the water and hours smiling, laughing and chatting with a beautiful girl. 

It was stupid really. She kept thinking about Clary for no reason. She didn’t even know much. Her name was Clarissa Adele Morgenstern but she went by Clary Fray - way less pompous and way more her, if you asked Maia - and Morgenstern was a name that reminded Maia of something. She fell asleep with the cinnamon-scented candle of Havdalah lit by the window.

Had she known a Morgenstern? Had she read about a Morgenstern?


	3. Crisp White Wine

“How’s Alicante?” 

Maia sat in front of her computer as Simon smiled at her from New York, on the other end of the skype call. She kinda missed him, but actually, she didn’t really. She loved Simon, like a brother, but damn she was glad to be away from the noise of the big city, from Jordan and his friends. It had been two weeks. She’d slept better in these two weeks than ever before. 

She maybe missed cheesecake, and her synagogue. 

“Alicante’s beautiful.” She shrugged. Her hair was freshly cleaned and conditioned, fluffy around her head. She’d just spent another few hours at the South Coves with Clary. Swimming with her was amazing. It was obvious that the other woman had started to swim early on in her life. She was incredibly graceful in the water.

“Just Alicante, or the girl I’ve seen on your instagram? You two were fast friends.” Maia rolled her eyes at Simon’s comment. The man behind the camera chuckled. “She’s cute.” 

“Her name’s Clary. She’s a local. She’s just showing me around, that’s all.” 

“Showing you around… And so her commenting heart eyes emojis on every picture you post is part of the guiding deal?” Simon teased. 

Clary did use a lot of heart eyes emojis. And she had said she was flirting. Yeah, Clary was definitely more than a local that was showing Maia around, and Maia knew it. She just didn’t want to jinx anything by telling Simon, or anyone, that she’d found someone again. It was too soon. 

“How’s New York?” She asked, diverting the attention back to Simon, and their friends in common. 

“New York is New York. There’s a new ice cream shop in our neighborhood and they have the most amazing strawberry ice cream with pieces of strawberry in it. You’d love it.” 

Simon knew what she liked to hear. Things about food and about the weather, or new shops opening. Things that didn’t remind her of the things she’d left behind. 

“I know I would. But don’t cheat on our favorite for this much.” She teased. Dolce Brooklyn was a small ice cream shop in Red Hook, that she and Simon often frequented when the summer heat was too much. 

“I promise you, I won’t.” He chuckled in reply. There was a long moment of silence. Maia wondered if it wasn’t better to just say goodbye and go do something else rather than face the conversation she knew was coming. 

“Jordan came by the other day.” 

And that was when Maia started regretting asking about New York. Too soon. She didn’t want to hear about her ex right now. Especially about how, despite her having to move away to get away from him, he hadn’t understood that his pursuit of her was harmful.

He’d been doing that when they were still together. Having her followed, tracking her phone, going through her messages. And if she was even slightly friendly to a barista that happened to be smiling… 

She didn’t have the bruises anymore, but she sure remembered covering herself every morning so no one would see the marks. She’d hated and loved him at the same time, even then. And then she’d finally managed to get out. 

He hadn’t stopped tracking and following her, coming up behind her in the middle of the night, ringing at her door. Maia shuddered at the thought. 

“You should move out, Simon. He’s never going to leave you alone.” She muttered, running a hand through her hair. It was true, he would never give up on her. Unless he found another girl to harass and hurt. She hoped he never did, no one deserved that. 

“I like our place. Well, my place now.” Simon shrugged, a smile on his face. “It’s comfortable. And that way if you ever want to come back…” 

“If i’m coming back, I’m not coming back where he can find me.” 

There was another long silence. Why did Jordan always have to ruin everything? He’d ruined her home, and he ruined every time she thought about him and all the things he’d done. Sometimes, there were things she couldn’t do anymore, or at least, things she would need time before doing. Trusting someone was difficult. 

Even Clary and her smiles, every time she was so sweet to Maia, Maia only saw it as the reason why she could turn on her later. If Clary was so good to her, it was because she wanted something. And what if Maia couldn’t give it to her? 

“You’re slipping away. Stop thinking about him.” 

“You’re the one who brought him up.” She accused. 

“You look happier, you know? We’re all sad that you left. But seeing you like this… rested, and smiling on your instagram pictures. It’s good.” 

Maia guessed she was happier now- whatever that meant. Maybe not happier, but at least she was better. She wasn’t as scared as she’d been of him. And there was Clary. 

Thinking about Clary always brought a smile to her face, and this time wasn’t any different. She wanted more with this woman than she’d originally thought. Jordan had left her heart shattered but maybe Clary’s smile could be the glue that helped her get back together.

“I have a date tonight,” She replied, changing the subject. “Well, it’s not technically a date. Clary and I… we’re getting dinner at some good Italian restaurant on the harbor.” 

Simon grinned at her. “I’ll leave you to it then. You need to get ready.” He teased. Maia nodded. She needed to get ready. Psychologically, mainly. But also, she was going to wear something cute. 

Around 7.30, Clary was leaning against her desk at the inn, waiting for Maia to come down so she could take her to the Italian place. She’d chosen to wear some shorts and a tank top, rather casual but still nice enough. 

It wasn’t really a date anyway. Just some sort of… dinner, with a woman she was crushing on pretty badly. Just casual pasta dinner in one of the only good restaurants in the area, just normal, regular, casual. 

Clary picked at her finger nail polish. She couldn’t help but feel giddy and nervous, and half of her was thinking about running off now that she still had the time. But suddenly, Maia was coming down the stairs with a happy smile. 

She was beautiful, that girl, and so warm and soft in a way. Clary wasn’t used to these city girls and their bright eyes. Or maybe she just wasn’t used to the beauty of Maia Roberts. 

“Ready to go?” Maia asked. Clary watched as the dark-skinned woman stopped by her side. She was wearing a skirt, high on her waist and relatively short, and a flowy blouse. She looked gorgeous. 

“Yes. I booked us a table.” Clary grinned and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, to give herself something to do with her hands. They walked out of the inn and started on their way to the other side of the harbor. 

The sun was still shining. In summer, it shone until late, but now the heat of the rays wasn’t as bad as it could be earlier in the day. It was soft and caressing on their skin. Maia smiled, and Clary couldn’t help but smile widely back, like an idiot. 

A small boat was sailing back into the harbor, quietly gliding on the silver sea. Someone was playing music in their apartment, loud latin pop, the windows open wide and the sound escaping. The restaurant was only five minutes away, and they made small talk the entire time, Maia’s hands buried in her pockets.

“Table for two, under Fray.” Clary said to the hostess, even if the woman had recognized her. They were led to a small table, just by the side of the water. An iron fence the only thing separating their chairs from the sea.. 

A light breeze was blowing away the heat, cooling off the patio and making it just perfect. The waiter brought them their menus. It was relatively simple inexpensive Italian cuisine. Maia’s eyes zeroed in on the risotto alla milanese. 

“Should we split an appetizer?” She asked, and Clary grinned back. They started off with white wine and a mozzarella salad. The waitress came back with bread, butter and water, and took their orders. 

They stayed silent for a while, letting the noise of the birds and the kitchy guitar music of the restaurant wash over them. The setting sun was shining on Clary’s face and her hair looked like it was catching fire. 

“Do you eat here often?” Maia asked once their glasses of wine had arrived. She took a sip. It was good; crisp and dry the way she liked. 

“Not that often. There are other places to eat that are cheaper and more casual. Like a small place on the beach that serves salads and seafood. This? It’s a bit more of a special occasion place.” Clary took a sip as well, her eyes were bright and excited. 

“So this is a special occasion?” Maia felt her cheeks heat up a little. She blamed it on one sip of wine on an empty stomach and the heat of the day that still lingered. 

“You could say that,” Clary replied. She was blushing as well, trying to get herself back together with a big sip of her wine. 

Maia hummed in reply and grabbed a piece of the bread. It was delicious. Italy seemed to be the pinnacle of gastronomy. “So… this is a date?” She asked. 

Clary almost choked on her wine. Yes, it was a date. No, it wasn’t a good idea. And yes, yes, a hundred times yes, conflicting answers coming to mind. She nodded in answer, blushing more when Maia’s laugh resounded. She must have looked comical with her choking and everything. But well, if it coaxed out of the other woman that gorgeous laugh… 

Their plates were quick to arrive. Maia muttered SheHakol before eating. The mozzarella tasted amazing, fresh and creamy in their mouths, and the tomatoes were perfect fleshy summer tomatoes, full of flavor. They ate with jokes and small giggles, regularly toasting to anything they could think off. 

“This is a date, right?” Maia asked again when they were done with the appetizer and waiting for their entrees. 

Clary was quick to respond this time. “Yes.” Her smile was wide and toothy, and her nose was scrunched up in that more than adorable way. Maia almost leaned towards her to peck her nose. 

“So… maybe we should find out if we are… you know.” She waved between the two of them. “Compatible.” 

Clary’s eyes went wide and she nodded, in a humorous way. “Ooooh. Compatible. Sure!” She shrugged. “What do you want to know?” She asked, and leaned back in her seat, obviously gearing up for some more serious talks. 

“What’s your biggest pet peeve, like… in a relationship?” Maia asked. It was a bit of a loaded question, and definitely one that didn’t seem that appropriate for their current state of relationship, but she needed to know. If it was something along the lines of ‘not knowing where the other is’, she would run off as quickly as possible. 

“Not being able to be independent.” Was the answer she got. It was the best answer. Maia was independent too, and she needed a partner who would be able to understand and appreciate that. Not that Clary was going to be her partner. They weren’t there yet. Clary had to accept the baggage Maia came with if it was ever going to work. 

“I understand. I’m that way too.” Maia replied, and Clary grinned at her. Good. 

“Do you like motorcycles?” the redhead asked almost immediately after. Maia chuckled. It did change the mood of the conversation, but it was for the better. 

“I do, actually. I haven’t been on one lately, and the first time was a bit eventful, and I have never driven one but… motorcycles are fun.” 

Clary nodded appreciatively, something shining in her eyes.That shine was one of the most attractive things Maia had ever seen. It wasn’t the teasing, smug shine that some people got during sex or during conversations, when they were satisfied of the effect they had. It was pure and appreciative, as if Clary was plotting something. Plotting something great.

The rest of the meal went great. The risotto was to die for, perfectly saffrony and gooey and cheesy, perfectly complementing the white wine. Clary had spaghetti with clams and a satisfied smile. They split the check and left a tip, and then walked out. It was still warm, somehow. 

They walked out and towards the beach again. According to Clary, there wasn’t much more to do after 10pm. You just walked around the town, walked on the beach, and ended up tired and went home. So that was what Clary and Maia did. 

They walked around, barely talking, content to enjoy each other’s company, but unsure of where to go from here. 

“So it’s a date… and we seem compatible.” Clary muttered, after what seemed like hours of walking, two feet apart, awkward and silent. “May I hold your hand on the way back?” She asked shyly. 

Every fiber of Maia’s body told her it was a bad idea, and yet, she nodded with a smile. Clary’s hand wrapped around hers, fingers lacing together. A little voice in Maia’s head said ‘fingers laced, she wants to fuck you’, and she ignored it, even if it kind of made her a bit more prideful. 

They laughed more on the way back, keeping their hands together. Maia hadn’t held hands with someone for a long time. She relished in the soft touch, in the gentle contact that wasn’t asking for more, for things she couldn’t give. It was simple and comforting. 

That night, Maia dreamt of a beach, in Italy, mozzarella and white wine and Clary’s smile when she muttered ‘happy birthday, baby’ into her ear. There was no chair against the door, and she woke up happy, rested, and with the desire to go downstairs and take Clary to get breakfast in another cafe.


	4. Visiting the Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: this has some abusive parenting

It had been three weeks since Maia had arrived. Clary had loved every second of it. As usual, they’d spent the end of the afternoon and some of the evening on the beach in the coves, reading and tanning and swimming together. 

The first thing Clary did when she left Maia back at the inn was rush to her cabin, to her secret cove, and get into the water. She hadn’t thought it would be so taxing to have to be in the water and pretend she was human for so long. 

She almost kicked in the door of the one room house she was living in, throwing her sand-covered beach bag on the floor next to the door and leaving most of her things behind. She’d forgotten to make the bed that morning, she realized, glancing at the mess of cream sheets and rainbow-striped blanket. Too bad. 

Clary walked out of her cabin, locked it and started walking to the place she usually left her clothes at when she went back to the water in her original form. It was high time. Not only had it been hard to resist the pull when she was in the water earlier but now, she could feel the forcefulness of the curse on her body. 

Her skin was heating up, scales appearing but immediately losing their wet shine, dull and dry when exposed to the sun directly. It was itchy, and uncomfortable, and she knew she had to hurry. Nails dragging over the small scales on her arms, she picked up her pace. She felt like she was burning up. 

She should have shifted before going with Maia. She would do that next time, especially since she was planning to take her out on a date for a nice dinner. She couldn’t take her out if she started boiling and suffocating in the middle of it. 

Her lips were dry as she licked them.he was fast to take off her clothes and jump head first into the water. She didn’t hold back this time. She inhaled deeply. Water rushed into her system, and she could feel herself adapting. It was so good. 

It never hurt. She’d heard all those stories about mermaids shifting to or from human form, read the children’s books the humans wrote, but it was so far from the truth. At least from the truth of her experience. Clary didn’t know if there were others like her. Mermaids. Or mermen, or whatever people called them. 

She sighed and swam away from the secret north cove and into the ocean. Back to where her parents still remained. Once upon a time, she’d lived every hour in the water, unaware of her ability to shift. Jocelyn and Valentine had wanted to keep her with them, for as long as they could. 

They weren’t like her. They couldn’t shift how they wanted. They were stuck in the water. Going to the shore was impossible, and even if they somehow made it out of the water, they would die, suffocate on the sand. 

Clary was quick to arrive to where they resided. There was a pile of fish skeletons next to the entrance of the underwater cave. She wasn’t really surprised. 

This was the side of Alicante that Maia would never see, that lost humans would never see, unless they angered those who had made Jocelyn and Valentine Morgenstern into what they were today. 

Clary had seen the faces of her parents, on photographs, their human faces from before her birth, from before they’d been cast down to the water to live an eternity as the creatures they had hurt. 

“Child. You don’t come to see us often,” her father said.

The more often she saw them, the less Clary wanted to live in the sea. Going back to it every day, and swimming in her other form was exhilarating, it was… one of the most freeing of sensations, something Clary only really felt in the water, or when she took Maryse’s old motorcycle out for a spin. But seeing her parents? It made her loathe the life that they had. 

Her father grabbed her hand, and stared at her, eyes studying her. His fingers had delicate webbing in between them, membrane to swim better. His eyes were wide and poisonous. She moved back a little. He let her go. She’d never had a perfect relationship with them. But now that she was like this? Living, happy with the Lightwoods and humans… they resented her life. 

Jocelyn was next to pull her closer. “Daughter.” She hummed and kissed her cheek. She kept her face closer to her daughter’s face, staring at her skin. She was studying her as well, and Clary knew why. Her mother was searching for a sign that she was becoming more fish. Or more human. Clary sighed. “You’re still so young and beautiful. It’s not fair for us to look so monstrous when you look so pretty.” She hissed. That was another of her concerns. The woman was jealous of how the curse had affected Clary. 

Clary didn’t reply. She wasn’t really even happy to be here. “I met a human. She’s beautiful.” 

Valentine grabbed a fish that was swimming by them and shoved it into his mouth, razor-sharp villiform teeth tearing at the flesh. Clary looked away. 

“A human girl.” Jocelyn shook her head. “Why would you do that?” 

“I haven’t done anything. Yet.” 

“At least you will not be passing your curse onto your child.” Her mother huffed. 

“We know it doesn’t work that way. Me getting affected was an accident. They didn’t know you were pregnant.” Clary replied. She’d had this conversation a hundred times. Every time she talked about the women she met. Something about how at least she wouldn’t pass the curse through birth. 

“Still. It’s safer.” Jocelyn muttered and swam away a little. Clary picked a piece of algae from her fin, sighing. 

Valentine was licking his lips when he went back to his daughter. “Have they repented and changed their mind about us yet?” 

“It’s not like that, father.” 

“You’re close with the Lightwoods. The least you could do is get them to repent for what they did to us.” The man growled, and the new grip on her hand was harsher. He pulled her closer again. “They’ll pay for what they did, and you, my daughter, will help us.” 

Clary pushed him away again. “Stop that!” She hissed back. “The Lightwoods are as much my family as you are.” She replied, staring at the man in front of her. Poisonous black eyes, sharp teeth, sickening white scales all over his body. They were much bigger than Clary’s scales, and she knew her father was more fish than human. 

“The Lightwoods are the reason you’re a monster, Clarissa!” Jocelyn snarled, getting heated as well. Clary was used to the hatred Jocelyn and Valentine had for the family that had welcomed her with open arms when she’d started going to the shore.

Yes, some of that warmth had stemmed from pity, and guilt, but now they were friends. Izzy took her to Boston and she helped Alec fish, even if the man was great at it by himself. Maryse let her use her motorcycle, for Heaven’s sake. 

The grip on her arm was still painful. She would have a bruise. 

“Listen to us, daughter.” Valentine’s voice was softer now, coaxing her into believing what he was saying. “They are bad for you. They are violent, they don’t care about humans, or about us. About you.” He whispered, keeping her close. 

Clary swallowed. She shouldn’t have come here. “I have to go. I don’t have much time.” 

“Are you going to go back to see your human?” Jocelyn hissed. “Don’t go see her, daughter. You don’t belong with a human, with a human female. You belong with your parents, in the sea, not on the shore.” She grabbed her other arm. 

“I don’t.” Clary replied, grabbing at her parents’ hands, to free herself. Their fingers dug into her skin, in a painful manner now. “I don’t belong here. And if it weren’t for your own mistakes, you wouldn’t be here either!” She shouted, and managed to escape them, their slippery hands sliding off her skin.

They looked at her, eyes shifting sometimes to look to their sides. “They cursed you too. You belong here.” 

Clary shook her head. “Every time I come here, I think you two will be different. That you will be calmer, that you will accept me and the fact that I like women, that you would have repented for all the horrors you’ve brought upon this ocean and the creatures in it.” She accused. “And every time, you’re still the same. Angry, ignorant, and stuck in hatred.” 

“You’re a child, you don’t understand.” 

“I understand well, Father.” Clary hissed. “I understand that there is nothing for me here anymore.I don’t belong in your world. I belong in mine. The shore.” 

She swam back, getting farther and farther away from them. They tried to grab at her fins, grab at her tail, and she felt sharp nails tearing at her caudal fin. She could smell blood in the water, and she knew she had to go back to the shore quickly and take care of her wound. 

She barely looked back as she swam away, pain shooting through her entire tail up to her spine. She hated that. Injury to her caudal fin was always the worst because it took a while to heal and made every swish of her tail painful.

Clary hauled herself out of the water, and reached for her phone. She had to call one of the Lightwoods to come patch her fin up.She couldn’t morph back into human form until it was taken care of. Luke was the one who picked up. 

Fortunately, he was at the Manor, and could come get her and bring her to Maryse to help her heal. Perfect. Clary put down her phone and grabbed her t-shirt, trying to be at least partially clothed. 

“Hey, what happened?” 

There was concern in Luke’s voice when he reached where Clary was laying in the sand. Her fin was seeping blood staining the white sand beneath her, and she had that little wince-frown on her face that meant she was in pain. 

“I went to visit my parents.” She muttered and he shook his head. 

Luke had known Valentine and Jocelyn Morgenstern before they’d been cursed. He’d never really liked Valentine, but He and Jocelyn had shared some passionate years. It was complicated, when you were someone like the Lightwoods were. Love was complicated. He’d had Maryse by his side since they’d left their homeland, but both had had crushes and relationships outside of the bond they shared. Jocelyn had been one of these… relationships outside of the Clan. 

Some of the Clan didn’t have the polyamorous aspirations that Luke had. Magnus and Alec were strictly monogamous, and had been since the beginning of their time. Luke and Maryse, as well as Izzy and Meliorn, had had polyamorous experiences. 

When you lived for so long, sometimes, one person wasn’t enough. Jocelyn and him had been young and firey and passionate, and then she’d chosen Valentine, a man Luke had always despised. It was that dislike of her new partner that had broken Jocelyn and Luke apart. 

It was for the better. Now, he took care of Clary when she needed parents. Maryse had adopted the young woman in the family the second her teenage curiosity had pushed her to explore the shore. She’d been 13, and she hadn’t gone back to her life in the sea since. 

At first, guilt had been a major driving force of the relationship the Lightwoods had with Clary. They were, after all, responsible for her curse, for the fact she had to go back to the water, and needed to spend time in her mermaid form. 

He picked up his daughter, and started to carry her back to the house. She sighed. “I told them I didn’t want to see them again and left. They tried to keep me there and tore at my caudal.” She muttered. 

There were bruises blooming on her wrists too and Luke revolted at that idea. He’d never thought Jocelyn would turn this way. He’d genuinely thought that a few years into the curse, she would beg for the Clan’s forgiveness. And yet, she hadn’t. She was violent, hateful and vengeful. 

“Poor child!” Maryse was standing at the door and accompanied Luke and Clary back to the kitchen. “The counter will be a little cold, dear.” She warned as Luke laid her down on the granite. 

She sighed. “It should be okay. I just need to be cleaned up, and it’ll regrow without problem.” Clary muttered, but let Maryse work her magic on her fin. 

“I know, Clary. But let her check it out before you shift back to human. And we might need to patch your foot up too.” 

Sometimes, injuries sustained in her mermaid form transferred to her human body. It always caused some trouble in those cases. Clary sighed, remembering that she’d promised Maia they would go for a swim again. 

“You might not be able to go with the girl again for a while.” Luke pointed out, as if he was reading Clary’s thoughts. 

“I just want to spend time with her.” 

“You could invite her to dinner here. We’re having a gathering on Saturday night, it would be perfect. We would finally get to meet her.” Maryse offered. Clary felt the cold of her hand on her fin, where she was helping with the patching up. 

Luke hummed, in a way that didn’t really tell whether he was for or against the idea. “She’s a human.” He reminded them. “Should we really bring a human into the Clan for a party?” 

Maryse moved away from Clary, reaching to get her a towel to cover herself when she turned back into a human. She reached for the moka pot they always kept next to the kettle on the stove. “Well, she may be human, but we don’t look that different. And we don’t behave that different from them. She wouldn’t realize we’re not like her.” Maryse pointed out as she started pressing coffee into the moka pot’s filter. 

Clary turned back to human form, wrapping her lower half in the towel. “As long as Max doesn’t start juggling ten full wine glasses in one hand in the middle of dinner, we should be okay. Oh, and she’s Jewish. No pork. Or meat and dairy together.” 

The idea of introducing Maia to her world, to her family, was making her feel warm. She wanted Maia to feel at home in Alicante. 

Luke’s already small resolve broke. “Okay, fine. Invite your girlfriend.” 

Clary blushed furiously. “She’s not my girlfriend!” She threw a wooden spoon at Luke.


	5. The Lightwoods

The house was unlike any house Maia had ever seen. Not because of its design, or its size - it was a rather normal-looking house - but because of the atmosphere, the vibe that hit her the second she walked past the “private property” sign. 

The Lightwood House was one of the oldest houses in the town, owned by one of the oldest families in the area. And somehow, Clary was on good enough terms with the elusive wealthy owners to grant her the position of inviting Maia to a dinner party.

It was seven now, the sun was starting to show signs of weakness in the sky, and Maia was walking up the cobblestone path to the entrance of the house. 

The stones crunched under Maia’s feet, making her regret wearing heels to the dinner. It was, after all, supposed to be a casual familial gathering of the Lightwoods plus Clary and for some reason, herself. There was no real need for her to be decked out in her favorite white and blue striped summer jumpsuit, some high-heeled sandals, enough makeup to be noticeable, and with freshly styled curls. 

And yet here she was, managing to reach the main door without falling, and preparing to knock, when she was stopped by a sudden voice, accompanied by the gravel crunch of approaching feet . 

“Hey!” The man that was walking towards her exclaimed. There was a warmth in his voice, and a Manhattanite accent, something that made Maia instinctively at home. “You must be Clary’s friend, I’m Alec.”

Maia nodded, swallowing. Alec was a very tall, very gorgeous, very sunkissed man. His smile was wide and embarrassed by the fresh fish he was holding in both hands. 

“Nice to meet you.” Maia smiled before nodding towards the fish. “Tonight’s dinner?” 

The man nodded, smiling still. Looking at him, Maia felt a little overdressed, since he was only wearing a simple tshirt, jeans and flip flops. 

“Nice to meet you, too.” He replied. “And yes. It’s dinner, freshly caught from the beach just there.” He indicated the general direction of the shore with a nod of his chin. “Sorry for the lack of hugging, but I’d rather not get all this fish on you.”

Maia chuckled, waving her hand to dismiss the worry. “No problem. I get it. Fish guts.” She smiled and the man nodded. 

“Everyone’s out back, we’ve put the table out there for dinner. Just follow the stone path there.” He jerked his chin towards a narrow cobblestone path, snaking around the house towards the back of it. “I have to give these,” he paused and wiggled the fish in his hands a little, “to my mother and Luke. Just go enjoy yourself.” 

With that, he expertly opened the door with his foot and disappeared inside the house- or the manor. Maia was not sure how big it was yet. 

She followed the man’s instructions and walked onto the path. Music was playing, and laughter could be heard, coming from the general direction of where Alec had said “out back” would be. 

She was thankful to reach a paved terrace. Her feet were finally free from the constant anxiety of twisting her ankle on the stones. The space was wide, lined with tall, towering pine trees. Over head, in the pine trees boughs were colorful paper lanterns, that, despite the sunlight of the early evening, were already turned on. 

She saw first a gorgeous, elegant young woman, dancing with a ten-year-old to the beat of the song. They did not notice Maia at first, continuing with their giggles and spins, the cream-colored flapper dress of the woman flowing around her calves. 

Thus far, both of the Lightwoods she’d met were very attractive. Alec in that sunny, warm, and pretty way, and the woman in a perfect way. Perfect as in, Maia wondered if the woman had done a deal with the devil to get that kind of perfect, radiating beauty. 

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” 

The voice coming out of nowhere startled Maia, and she turned suddenly towards where it had resounded. Unknown male voices always tended to make her antsy. Especially when they resounded so surprisingly. 

The man who was standing there though, was not looking at her. He was looking at the woman dancing on the terrace. He was looking at her like she was the stars in a night sky: mysterious, breathtaking, and fascinating. 

“She is.” Maia replied, simply, because it was the truth. 

This man was very handsome as well, with darker skin, shoulder-length wavy brown hair, and tattoos snaking from his neck to his temples. 

“Meliorn,” he introduced himself, reaching to give her a quick hug. “Isabelle’s boyfriend.” 

At Maia’s raised brow, he guessed that she hadn’t been introduced yet. He chuckled. “The beautiful girl. Isabelle Lightwood.” He explained. 

Hearing her name, the woman turned and smiled. She left the young boy she was dancing with and walked up to them. Her shoes were golden and glinted in the light. Maia was pulled into a hug, and caught the scent of flowers and cinnamon from Izzy’s swept up hair, and when she pulled back, she was smiling stupidly. 

Fuck those Lightwoods and how ridiculously attractive they were. Maia was here because she had a crush on Clary. Clary, not the tall, dark and handsome guy who’d welcomed her, or the goddess-like woman that had just hugged her, or even her smirking boyfriend. 

Isabelle gave her a smile. “You must be Clary’s friend. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Isabelle. But most call me Izzy.” 

“Izzy.” Maia muttered in reply. “I’m Maia. Yes, Clary’s friend. Pleasure as well.” Her voice was slightly out of it. 

Isabelle let out a delighted chuckle and took Maia’s hand, pulling her towards the long table that was there. It was set for nine. Another man was sitting there, and Maia thought she was going to combust, again. 

Another incredibly attractive one. A tall, fashionable, absolutely perfect-looking Asian man wearing a waistcoat and a shirt unbuttoned just enough to reveal some of his golden smooth skin, was seated at the table. There was a glass of white wine in his right hand, held delicately between fingers wearing several rings. He didn’t pay attention to them, seemingly taken by the book he was reading. 

Isabelle poked his shoulder and he looked up, first frowning and then smiling at the two of them. The dark-haired woman turned again towards Maia. 

“This is Magnus. Alec’s husband,” she introduced, turning again towards the man to introduce Maia to him. 

He put down his book and stood up, shaking her hand firmly. “Magnus Bane,” he said, despite Isabelle telling her his name before. “Delighted.” 

They were all so charming. It was impossible. 

“Would you like a drink?” Magnus offered, pointing at the bottle of wine on the table. Maia accepted, and watched as he expertly poured her a drink. He gave it to her with a smile. “I believe Clarissa will be late to dinner. She shouldn’t be too long, but she’s warned your mother not to wait for her to start.” He told Izzy. 

Maia was a little disappointed, and anxious at the idea of spending the beginning of the dinner party surrounded by so many strangers. She’d only been here for a month, after all. And, even if she might have seen one of the family in town before, she’d never really talked with any of them. 

She sipped on her wine, staying quiet. There was nothing she could say anyway. She’d wait for them to ask questions, but she wasn’t going to start babbling about her life. 

She stood there awkwardly for a moment, her glass of wine in hand. It was white and it was chilled. Good. 

The man she’d first met - Alec, she remembered - walked out of the house, fish-less this time. He walked to the man that was sitting down - Magnus -, and bent down slightly, exchanging words so lowly that Maia, even a couple of meters away, couldn’t hear. Magnus chuckled softly, bending his head back to look up at the man. Alec smiled back at him and bent down again, pressing a kiss to his husband’s forehead. 

Maia suddenly looked away. She didn’t care that they were men, she just felt bad about staring. She focused her attention on Isabelle who was dancing again, this time not with the child who had disappeared somewhere, but with her boyfriend. 

They were embracing, in some kind of partnered dance like salsa, or something. Not that Maia knew anything about dances except from the rare times she caught an episode of Dancing with the Stars. She watched them for a while, sipping on her wine and refusing the offer from Isabelle to come dance with them. 

Laughing, Magnus and Alec both joined the other couple as well. Maia put down her glass on the long table, before walking in the house curiously. She could hear voices coming out of there, and she thought she needed to properly introduce herself to everyone before partaking in the festivities. Her hand found the place on the door where a mezuzah should be, instinctively. She walked down a corridor, all the walls in sight painted white. In the corner, next to the door she’d seen Alec walk through when she’s just arrived, was a small shrine. 

She eyed the bram horn cup and the piles of twigs kept together with white ribbon. Interesting. 

“She’d have to do it tonight, and she preferred not to… suffocate during dinner.” A low, seemingly masculine voice said. Maia raised an eyebrow, and walked towards the source of the voice. “That fish is nice, I’ll tell Alec that, mash’allah.” 

In a fully stocked, perfectly clean and white kitchen, a man and a woman stood, their attention focused on the fish she’d seen Alec carry in earlier. None of the fish were the Sunset one, the one Maia came here to study. Good. She’d have hated to have to give her hosts a lesson on responsible fishing when it came to rare and endangered species. 

The woman turned around, as the man stared in surprised at Maia. “Can we help you?” He asked. They both were obviously surprised and a bit tense. Maia wondered for a moment if she was really as welcome as she’d felt earlier. 

Maia smiled, a bit awkwardly. “I’m Maia… Clary invited me here. I wanted to introduce myself, and thank you for welcoming me.” 

The woman’s lips split into a smile at that, a genuine one, that reminded Maia of Isabelle. Now that she thought about it, this woman was obviously Isabelle’s mother. They had the same dark eyes, the same smile.

“Of course!” Isabelle’s mother said then, wiping her hands on a towel before coming to hug Maia. So many hugs in one night… it would maybe be enough to resolve Maia’s craving for touch. 

“Luke.” The man said in introduction, reaching for a hug as well. He was tall, not as tall as Alec but pretty tall, black and with kind eyes. He looked and felt like a dad. “And this is Maryse.” He nodded towards the woman by his side. “It’s a pleasure to have you here. Clary rarely brings people back.” 

They exchanged a smile and a knowing look. Eventually, everyone was back on the terrace, the couples and the child - Max, Isabelle and Alec’s youngest brother -, and Maia. She did still feel a bit like an outsider, but they told her to sit in the middle of the table, between a free space on the bench and Luke. 

The young couples stopped dancing and took their places as well, Magnus and Alec sitting across from her, Max and Meliorn on Magnus’ right, and Isabelle at the head of the table. They poured more wine, Maia’s glass was filled again despite her not having finished it. 

Appetizers had been brought to the table, mozzarella, tomatoes and easy snacks to munch on before the fish was grilled. Maia chatted with Magnus and Luke, finding the same taste in books with the man in front of her. She also found out that he was bisexual, as were Isabelle and Meliorn. She was starting to feel warm and fuzzy.

All of these people looked in love and it made something inside of Maia yearn for it too. She chastised herself. She didn’t need love. She’d tried that before, and now? She needed to rest. Physically and emotionally. 

There was a sudden, “Finally!” coming from Izzy and Maia turned to look at what had happened to cause such a sigh from most of the people around the table. 

Clary. Her hair was slightly wet, she was wearing a floor-length burnt orange dress, that looked flowy and made her look like a goddess of the sunset. She looked beautiful. So beautiful. Her lipstick was light and was of an orange color as well. Maia could barely breathe, eyes trailing over her form as Clary walked around the table, hugging everyone before she sat down by Maia’s side. 

“H… Hey.” Maia managed to say and Clary smiled. Maia wanted to kiss her and get that happiness for herself. 

How could she look this good? How was she somehow eclipsing all the gorgeous people around the table? Their beauty was inhumane in a way, and yet, Clary Fray seemed glowing from within. 

More wine was poured and Clary started chatting animatedly with Alec across the table. The man’s loud and easy laugh resounded regularly. 

The fish, freshly grilled, was perfect. Everything was perfect. Maia sipped on her wine and started a conversation with Isabelle, who was now sitting on her boyfriend’s lap. It seemed like something pretty normal, and no one had reacted when she’d slid out of her seat. 

“Hmm, we should go to Boston together! You’d love the city.” She chuckled, her shoulders swaying slightly to the tune of the song playing in the background. Maia could see the light catching on the light gold on the woman’s eyelids. 

“Boston it is. How about next weekend?” Maia asked. She looked forward to spending more time with one of the Lightwoods. They seemed to be the best people to ask about the history of the town. And the history of the fountain on the square. 

She was taken out of her conversation with Izzy when she felt a hand land on her thigh. She turned back to Clary, who was listening to Alec. Her hand was a little cold, but Maia didn’t mind. It was intimate and comforting, and she let her hand stay there. 

Clary laughed, reaching with her other hand for her glass and taking a sip. Maia watched her still, warmth and a smile growing in her chest. 

You like her, said a voice in Maia’s head. I don’t, she replied.


	6. First Kiss

Night had fallen, and the wine had gotten them tipsy, and it had been a couple hours and a hundred songs since Clary had arrived at the party. Maia’s feet were a bit hurting from the dancing. It was strange, she generally didn’t dance. Yet something about these people made her want to dance and laugh. 

Izzy was the one that made her want to laugh, with her warmth and the way she sat on Meliorn’s lap and laughed so loud at everything, joy erupting everywhere with it. It crashed like the wave against the sand, that laugh. Maia briefly wondered what it would look like to see Izzy angry. 

There was Alec, his soft smiles and the way he sat comfortably next to his husband. The softness in the way he held the other man’s hand, and the care in their smiles. He and Magnus had a calm and loving energy. It made Maia yearn for the thing they had. For the kind of love that seemed to transcend centuries without blemishes. Everything was so… perfect. 

Maryse and Luke, warm and comforting, and making everyone feel at home, and feel part of the family. 

Clary had made her want to dance. Dance until she forgot there were other people around besides the short incredibly beautiful woman dancing with her. Clary moved like water, fluid and wild, and she smiled wide and scrunched her nose when she laughed. She held Maia tight during slow songs. 

Maia had shivered and shuddered when Clary’s lips had ghosted over hers, over her cheek when they danced slowly. Clary’s arms around her neck, and Maia’s hands on her lower back and slow grinding moves. Hazel green eyes, dark and sexy, staring into hers, inches away. She had wanted to kiss the freckles on Clary’s nose. 

Her fingers trailing over Maia’s arms, soft and teasing, had sent more shivers down her spine. And always, the entire time, Clary’s eyes, staring into hers and igniting a heat deep in her core. Fuck. They were in public. This was not how her first introduction with the Lightwoods was supposed to go. And yet, it didn't stop her from bringing Clary closer. 

And now they were walking down the beach, back towards the public part of it, further south. Maia had taken off her heels. She was smiling. She was happy. It was true what Clary had said about the beach being the only good post-dinner spot around the city. But it was the most beautiful place around. Things between them weren’t as heated as before, now more mellow and relaxed.

Maia’d started talking about marine biology, and the specific species that lived in the waters they were walking past, telling the redhead how she’d seen one of the fish during her latest swim. It was exciting and her heart was singing, and she just wanted to tell the world how good she felt. 

“It’s like my entire academic career had led to the moment I was face to face with that fish. It’s amazing. Its scales have a certain red shift that’s incredibly rare. It’s between orange and red, like blood orange. It’s called the Sunset Fish. And it does appear sometimes at sunset. It’s amazing. I just… I’m going to be able to study them…” She took another breath. “I can’t wait to start. Their behavior must be so interesting. They have such a pure genetic line, it’s really a rarity in these kinds of populations!” 

She stopped when she realized that Clary hadn’t said a word. Maia blushed furiously, looking away from the eyes of the other woman. Clary had been looking at her. She’d been staring really, with a soft smile on her face, like she was… happy, even if Maia wasn’t letting her speak. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Please,” Clary’s voice was soft,but firm like she was genuinely happy to hear Maiarant about things she didn’t care about. “You’re beautiful when you talk about things you love. It… you’re glowing.” Clary whispered. 

Maia opened her mouth to reply but couldn’t find the words. She wasn’t used to this. To a beautiful women telling her to rant and be happy and not care about anyone but herself and what she wanted to talk about. Maia often felt like she wanted to say so many things, like they were bubbling, trying to get out and she had to force herself to not talk, because she had to listen. 

She did the only thing she could think of. The only thing she wanted. 

Clary’s lips tasted like wine and the salt of the air on the beach they had been walking on for what felt like hours. The redhead pressed closer to Maia, one arm slipping around her crush’s waist. The fingers trailing down her arms to go around her waist were soft and teasing on her skin. Maia felt everything as if heightened. There was a hunger in this kiss. There had been hunger in their touches and hugs that night. 

The moon was full and it made something in Maia stir. Her blood was singing, her heart was beating faster, and Clary was there. Clary was beautiful. She was so sweet and gentle. She held her like she was a treasure. Her strong arms wrapped around Maia’s waist.

Maia was on a cloud of heaven. She was gone in the middle of the kiss with the sea crashing against the shore. She was tipsy from delicious wine and full of fresh fish, and she felt like the last few hours had been spent in another world. 

Clary… Clary and her flowy floor-length dress and her red hair and the way she kissed. And the way Clary held her hand like it was the most precious thing in the world. Maia wanted her. 

She hadn’t wanted someone in a long time, and this desire was soft. It wasn’t incredibly passionate and burning, but it was still needy and it was still there. Maia wanted to taste Clary’s kisses,taste her lust, and hear how her moans resounded. She wondered if the rest of her tasted as sweet as her lips.

It was stupid. They’d only known each other for maybe a month or two. They talked almost every day, and they both… wondered if they were flirting. But Maia looked for her every morning when she went down for breakfast, and she wanted to take her to dinner, and take her back to the coves the redhead had shown her on the south side of the beach. 

Maybe now that they had kissed, they could kiss there as well-lost in clear water and the privacy of the white sand of the cove. She could already imagine it. Clary laid down on the white sand, red hair like soft flames around her head, the halo of a holy creature. Clary’s nails grabbing at her hair, when Maia kissed down her chest, teased her breasts and sucked a hickey in the groove of her hip bone. Heaven. 

Maia was happy here. She kissed Clary again, harder this time, her hand in the red hair, Clary’s hands on her waist, lost in each other. 

‘This is a mistake,’ Clary’s rational mind screamed at her.,A mistake to feel this way for a human, when Clary was so different, and when she should be keeping a secret. It was a mistake, Clary repeated herself, as she kissed the woman again. She could barely breathe. Deeper, more, more. She just wanted more. She just wanted to make out here, and maybe take the beautiful girl to her cabin and spend the night there. 

No, it wasn’t a mistake. Clary deserved to love someone, or to desire someone. She deserved love, even if she was… this. Even if she was not supposed to. Because who could tell us not to love? The Lightwoods? They’d loved each other for longer than they could remember. She just wanted someone to love. 

“Maia…” She whispered against the woman’s lips. The music was still playing in the yard of the Lightwoods’, and it was still faintly audible. “I’m so into you.” 

Fuck, it was stupid, and it wasn’t something someone said. It was just… something people said in songs. But damn, Clary’s mind was resounding with the lyrics of Ariana Grande, and she just wanted that- less talking. They’d chatted so much. 

Clary wanted touching; she wanted kisses and she wanted physical intimacy. And more talking, sure, but now? Now, she wanted this. Kissing on a beach in the summer, a beautiful woman with smart eyes, and someone she thought could be perfect for her. She’d never left Alicante, but if Maia stayed here, she never wanted to leave. 

“I…” Maia choked on her words, losing herself against Clary’s lips again. Things didn’t matter anymore. Clary wanted her too. Maia reached down, trailing her fingers down the woman’s neck and to her breast. She pressed slightly. 

It was a bit less heated and sudden now, more gentle and sensual than anything, their kisses slow and languid. A few seconds, and Clary was pulling back, taking Maia’s hand and pulling her towards her cabin. 

She couldn’t wait. She wanted to take off that jumpsuit and make her moan and cry all night long. Clary wanted to wrap her thighs around Maia’s neck. 

Maia followed. She pulled the other woman closer, one arm around the redhead’s waist to keep her close. She didn’t know what was going to happen. She had… She hadn’t had sex with anyone since Jordan. 

Jordan. The simple thought of him changed everything. Maia stopped suddenly. She looked up. Clary was looking at her, with confusion in her eyes. “Everything okay?” She asked. Maia hated the worry in her voice. 

“I… I should go back.” 

Clary nodded. She stayed silent. She licked her lips and took a deep breath. It was okay. She was disappointed… just disappointed. Just disappointment, not fear, not insecurity, not anything else, right? Just because this gorgeous girl suddenly looked like she’d seen a ghost… 

The sadness she’d noticed the first day had come back in Maia’s eyes. Fear too. Clary wished she could take it all away, but she couldn’t. She didn’t know what to do. She’d never been good with people. She’d only known her parents until her teenage years, and then… the Lightwoods were… not the best at relationship advice. Their only advice had been ‘you’ll get your soulmate one day’. 

So, Maia walked away. And Clary let her go.


	7. Boston

Another week had passed since Maia had met the Lightwoods, since she and Clary had shared that kiss, and since Maia’d walked away from the girl she could feel herself falling for. It had been a bad idea to ever get close to her. 

Jordan was still looming over her, ruining everything. She couldn’t get close to someone else. What if Clary, just like Jordan, was just hiding the poison in her heart until Maia as vulnerable enough to fall prey to her? 

Something as intimate as sex… The last time she’d had sex was with Jordan. It had been a week after they’d broken up actually, some weird kind of post-break-up sex. Goodbye sex, he’d said, but he hadn’t stopped coming to her after. 

It had been when she’d gotten her pregnancy scare, a few weeks after, just as she was debating leaving the city. He’d never been one to use condoms, and that last time had been exactly the same. And then her period had been late. 

When she’d finally gotten it, she’d put down her bottle of red wine, gotten her life sorted out and booked the room at Alicante’s inn.. Maia hadn’t been able to do it anymore. So it had been almost three months since the last time she had sex. 

Clary made her feel safe. It was strange really, to feel like that. She had never been used to that safety of a home, or of someone that she could trust. Well, Simon was trustworthy, and Gretel as well, but Jordan had hurt her way too deeply. 

Maia had, as a result, been ignoring Clary almost all week. She barely said hi in the morning, spent her breakfast with the marine biology books, going through her laptop on everything she could find about the Sunset Fish. Clary had texted her a couple times to see if she was free to go to the coves in the evening. She’d refused. She had work. She had to find an apartment. 

Maia checked her hair in the mirror, and applied some lipgloss and mascara. She’d taken Isabelle up on her offer of a road trip to Boston. It was only around three hours away. She readjusted the skirt she was wearing and walked out. 

Clary looked up at her when she walked by. Maia nodded at her. She’d gathered her hair in a ponytail and was going through a heavy looking book. Maia tried not to pay attention. It was early, around 8am. 

Somehow, Isabelle looked just as perfect as she had the night they’d met. She looked even better in the daylight. She was wearing a black dress, short and form-fitting, her hair long and flowy, sunglasses perfectly suited to her face perched on her nose. She straightened up when she saw Maia and came to hug her. 

She still smelled like heaven. 

Maia gave her a small hug back and turned towards the car Izzy had been leaning against. She opened her mouth to speak. It was a relatively small car, roof less and bright red. Maia did a double take at the beauty of it, obviously vintage quality. And then she saw the rearing horse emblem on the hood. Ferrari. 

Izzy chuckled as she got into the driver seat. Her purse had been flung on the back seat. Maia slid into the passenger seat. 

“That’s one hell of a car.” 

“I know.” Izzy grinned, hands running over the wheel. “She’s my baby.” The bright red color matched her lipstick and her nails- indeed this car seemed to be made for her. Maia was still a little awestruck. The Lightwoods were one hell of a family. 

“Is it like… a family heirloom?” 

“Oh no!” She shook her head, starting the engine and getting out of her parking spot in smooth, fast motions. “She’s mine. Bought her myself. 67 Ferrari Spyder. Only 10 of these were made. She’s absolutely perfect. We do have a thing for vintage cars and motorcycles in the family.” They drove past the town square with the fountain that still intrigued Maia. “My brother and his husband, for example, are Ford men. Alec has an old Mustang and Magnus a Thunderbird.” 

Maia hummed. She knew nothing about cars but Izzy seemed to be pretty into them. After all… ten of these ever made? What kind of money did the Lightwoods have? 

Pretty soon, Izzy was getting onto the Highway. It was a smaller highway, but Maia wasn’t surprised. The other woman had told her she preferred driving on less frequented roads. She’d even told her that they would take the scenic route on the way back. 

Music stayed blasting the entire two and a half hours of road. They didn’t chat much, mostly because the roof of the convertible was open and the music and the wind was making it impossible to hear anything. But Maia enjoyed herself greatly. 

She whooped a couple times when Izzy let the car speed up, the other woman grinning from ear to ear. Somehow, even if they went way over the speed limit, they didn’t crash. And no police car ever went to stop them. Isabelle obviously knew the car and the road by heart. 

Three hours, parking and a subway later, they were stepping out in the historical center of Boston. Izzy pushed up her sunglasses on top of her head and reached for her phone in her purse. “So, I have a couple of errand to run for the family.” 

“Well, that sounds vaguely mafia-ish.” 

Izzy laughed at that and swatted her hand in the air to dismiss it. “Would a mafia family send me to buy film for Alec’s fancy cameras?” She chuckled. “We’re going to our usual photography store, then to a gallery I like. I feel like getting some new pictures for our bedroom.” She hummed. 

“Do you all live at the Manor?” Maia asked curiously. It was a bit… strange to her for a family like the Lightwoods to live all under one roof. 

“We do. We have houses all over the US and a couple around the globe, though. So several homes. But we do enjoy to be all together. It can get awkward but you get used to it.” 

“Even… Magnus and Meliorn?” 

“Because they are pieces added to the original family, right?” Izzy shrugged as they started walking to the store. Boston was humming with energy. “They’ve… We’ve been together for a while, and they haven’t complained yet.” 

Interesting. 

The store was ten minutes away from where they were and they stopped quickly at a Starbucks on the way. Maia sipped on her strawberry frappuccino as they kept walking. Izzy was surprisingly fast with her four-or-five-inch heels and her iced cinnamon latte. 

There was an energy about Isabelle that was addicting. From what Maia had seen of the Lightwoods as a whole, they all had a chemistry, a pull that was so… irresistible. 

The clerk at the photography store knew Izzy enough to come and hug her, their hug lingering a little too much for them to only be friends. Maia raised an eyebrow at that. Was the man there Izzy’s lover? It wasn’t discussed more though, and Izzy was quick to purchase the couple of rolls of film she needed to get Alec. 

“You’ll say hi to your boyfriend for me, cariño. I haven’t seen him since you took me to Hawaii with you.” The man exclaimed, and Izzy promised she would, kissing the man’s cheek before walking away. 

Maia stayed rather quiet as they walked back towards the shopping streets. 

“Don’t worry, I’m not cheating on Meliorn.” Izzy sighed eventually. Her voice was still a little teasing, but she did look tired of the kind of awkward silence that followed her interactions with her lovers. “We are polyamorous. Daniel was one of my latest boyfriends. We didn’t work out. But him and Meliorn got pretty close.” She shrugged. 

Maia nodded. “Sorry… for assuming.” 

“I get it. Relationships like the one I have with Meliorn, or the one Luke and Maryse share aren’t the most common. And somehow you have an entire family that’s queer.” 

“So you’re all…” 

“Yes. Luke and Maryse are polyamorous, Maryse, Magnus, Meliorn and I are bi. Luke is pan and Alec is gay. Max is… a child that’s not concerned with those matters yet. And Clary is our lesbian little sister.” Isabelle shrugged. 

“That’s…. impressive and rare.” 

Isabelle chuckled, shaking her head. “You have no idea, Maia.” 

———

They got lunch around 1pm, in a small Italian restaurant. The sun was shining bright and the drinks were fresh. Izzy’s laugh made heads turn. Maia was smiling widely. 

Boston was a new discovery for her, somewhere she’d never been before. The bricks of the houses reminded her vaguely of Brooklyn’s Brownstone. She loved it. 

Izzy insisted on taking care of the entire - and quite expensive - bill. 

“What do you do for a living? To be able to afford all of that?” The question was brash and a bit tactless, but still,Maia had to know!. 

“I don’t work.” Izzy shrugged. “The family… we collect art, we buy things.. sometimes sell stuff. But mostly, we just live on the fortune of our very lucky and careful family.” 

The more she learned about the Lightwoods, the more she was intrigued. They were fascinating, that family that lived together without problem, with so much money and a…. out-of-time quality about them. 

Maia hummed. “Is Clary… related to you? I thought I heard you refer to her as your little sister earlier.” She asked curiously. She wondered how Clary fit into this. She’d initially thought that the Lightwoods were friends of the redhead, but…. what Izzy had just said was different. 

Isabelle sighed. The relationship between Clarissa and her family was complex. Hell, her family’s relationship to the world was complex. Between the polyamory and the fact that they were virtually not human… 

“Clary.. is a bit like an adopted daughter. Her parents and our family have a lot of history. Her mom used to date Luke… it’s complicated and not the most pleasant. But she actually is part of the family… because she came to us when her parents weren’t treating her well.”

It was complicated to explain curses, mistakes and the guilt that surrounded the relationship the Lightwoods had with Clary Fray. But they loved her, no matter their past, and Clary loved them as well. 

Izzy took another deep breath. “You like Clary, don't you?” She asked, watching as the dark-skinned woman in front of her tensed slightly. 

Maia gulped. Yes, she did, and no it wasn't the best idea, considering her past relationship and that ghost of Jordan. “I do.”

“Something is holding you back, though. Is it because she’s a woman?” She asked softly. 

“No.” Maia shook her head. “I’m fine with her being a woman. I’ve had relationships with women before. There’s nothing about… my sexuality.” 

“Then what’s the matter?” 

Maia bit her lip. Was she really going to… talk to a stranger about all of this? About Jordan and the fear and the mistrust and the fact that sex was… a reminder of that pain. 

“I had… a difficult relationship.” Maia started. 

“Oh.” Izzy put her fork back down. “How’s… abusive?” 

“Quite. It’s only been a couple of months… Clary is amazing but I have no idea if I’m ready for all of that.” 

Izzy nodded, a definitely more serious look on her face. It was a complicated situation and she understood. Things like that… they had happened to her no matter her actual status. Humans were passionate creatures and their passions could lead to violence in so many ways. 

“I know our situations are not the same, but I can tell you one thing. Love is always worth the risk.” She said softly. “I know it doesn’t feel like it. I had… a similar experience with a partner of mine a long time ago. Before I met Meliorn. I thought… I thought I was much better off without love. I had sexual needs, so I satisfied them, and Meliorn was that… for a while.”

Maia was watching her with wide eyes and it made Izzy feel a little warm. Or maybe it was thinking about Meliorn. 

“He became more. The day I told him what had happened to me, the way he held me when I cried… he’d maybe been more for a long time; but people who will hold you and support you through thick and thin are rare and must be cherished. Clary is one of these people. I know her quite well. She’s nothing but sweet and gentle. She can be brash in her decisions, but she loves deeply, and she cares for many things. She would support you through everything.” 

Maia traced the edge of her glass thoughtfully. “Clary is… she’s someone rare. Precious and a part of me knows she… isn't him.” She explained. “And yet. And yet I just don’t know if I’m strong enough.” 

“You survived all of your life until now. It’s a testimony to your strength.” Izzy pointed out. 

“Maybe.” Maia replied, non committedly. 

Izzy saw how the woman in front of her was obviously not in the mood to keep going with that conversation. She nodded. “You can trust me when I say, Clary is worth giving a chance.” She whispered. She took a sip of her wine and changed the conversation. 

They had a great afternoon in Boston. Izzy insisted on buying Maia some clothes, flashing her fancy credit card. They stopped at the photo gallery and visited it, and by the end of it, Izzy had ordered and paid for the delivery of two small photographs by one of the artists exhibited in the gallery.

By 6, they were back on the road, this time on smaller roads along the shore, and Maia watched as Izzy laughed out loud, driving fast and a little wild while Lana Del Rey blasted through the speakers. The energy gained Maia too, and soon she was laughing with her. 

\------

 

That night as she slept in the big comfortable bed with the blue covers, Maia’s mind slipped into a world she hadn’t explored in a long time. 

_A bed, the one she had slept in every night for the last month and a half. The mattress, against her back and a wet mouth, a tongue and lips on her left nipple. She keened, pressing her breast into the mouth of the one that was sucking and nipping and kissing on it. Maia’s hand grabbed onto hair, and the person who was currently teasing her breast looked up._

_Maia instantly recognized the red hair and the green-hazel eyes, even if darkened and blown by lust. She reached to cup the woman’s cheek, thumb tracing lightly over her freckles. Clary was naked, on her knees on top of her._

_Maia moaned loudly when she felt Clary’s fingers inside of her. Her own hand travelled down the redhead’s back and to her ass, grabbing at the flesh there firmly. Clary moaned out and twisted her fingers instinctively. Pleasure erupted in Maia’s body. Fuck this was good._

_She opened her eyes to realize Clary was staring at her, eyes deep with desire and the redhead licked her lips in the most tantalizing way. In a second, she’d started devouring Maia’s mouth, tongue slipping in without missing a beat. It was deep and it was hot, the perfect rhythm between her tongue and her fingers making Maia squirm on the sheets._

_She fucked herself back on Clary’s fingers, reaching to touch her hair and her back. Maia pressed her hand against the small of Clary’s back to pull her closer._

_It was so good. So good, better than anything she’d felt in a long time. She felt safe and desired, seeing the way Clary looked at her as she started kissing down her chest, nipping at the soft skin of her belly. She felt like the most beautiful woman in the world. She felt like she could take over the world, one woman at a time. She felt like she could be free to be in bed for hours and just ride Clary Fray’s face until she was too exhausted to stay upright and had to lay down._

Maia woke up with her hand inside of herself, fingering herself and getting herself off. She closed her eyes again, summoning images of Clary’s lips disappearing against her pussy and the feeling of her tongue on her clit. 

She came a few minutes later, fucking herself fast with her fingers, and groaning Clary’s name loudly. Maybe… maybe she was ready for this, after all.


	8. Lagu Clan

Maia’s smile was tranquil that morning. Clary immediately noticed the easiness and the relaxation that seeped through the other woman’s motions and body.

During the last week, every time they crossed paths, they had barely looked at each other, trading only tense waves or nods before quickly moving on.

Maybe it was due to the trip to Boston Maia had taken the day before. Maybe Izzy had helped with Maia’s mood. Or maybe… maybe it had been something else entirely. Clary didn’t know much about women and relationships.

She had spent a week like a kicked puppy, unable to swim fast the way she wanted. She had wanted to dive in the ocean and swim, swim as fast as possible. She had wanted to swim far away from all her problems. All she was able to do was sit on a rock and huff and sigh about her problems.

Especially talking to Izzy the night before, right after she’d come back from Boston. They’d talked about Maia, mostly.

Clary didn’t know what to do about this situation. She felt like the right move was to let Maia deal with her problems. But what if Maia needed help? Support? For someone to hold her and tell her what she was feeling was okay and that she didn’t have to fear?

Clary was deep in thought, mind playing with daydreams of Maia by her side, head pillowed against her chest and letting go of everything that was hurting her, when she heard someone walk towards her desk.

She looked up. It was Maia.

Clary immediately smiled at her. This was the most eye contact they’d made in the last week and a half.

“Hey.” Maia said and Clary smiled even brighter.

“Hey.”

There was something almost sheepish about the way Maia was looking at her, eyes regularly darting away from hers to look away.

“Sorry for the lack of explanation after…”

“It’s alright. You don’t owe me anything.” Clary shrugged. She still wanted to take every hurt away from Maia’s life. ‘Please, I want to share your burden’. Just as much as she wanted to share her bed.

“I do. Because…” Maia shook her head. “Listen, can we talk after you’re off tonight?” She asked. “Sorry if it’s last minute, you must be busy.”

“I did promise you a tour of the city’s historic area. How about that, tapas at Santiago’s, then walk on the beach, like we usually do?”

“That’s…” Maia’s smile got much brighter. “Perfect, really.”

Clary grinned at her and nodded. “Then I expect you to be here at 5.”

They set the time and date. Clary had missed going out and about with Maia greatly. She’d missed the way Maia talked to her, so excited about everything she saw. The way she melted into a puddle when they saw a dog. The way she closed her eyes and tilted her head back when she was enjoying the sun, and she looked like a goddess. A good, gentle goddess of love and beauty.

She’d missed Maia for everything she was. She missed the exhilarating effect she got from holding in her transformation. How beautiful Maia looked under the water, gravity-less hair and brown skin and beauty. Clary always wanted to kiss her when she saw her swimming. When she saw her with her snorkle and mask, going down into the water to chase fish.

Fuck, Maia was perfect for her.

——-

They stood in front of the fountain in the middle of the square. A little after six and after spending an hour touring the historical area of the town, that revolved around the square and the fountain.

The fountain was still something that pricked Maia’s curiosity. There was something quite familiar with the people represented on the sides. She couldn’t say what though.

Clary was smiling softly, red hair falling in soft waves around her face. She had sunglasses on. Maia wanted to kiss her.

There were still the doubts and the trust issues and the ghost of Jordan in the back of her mind. She needed to tell Clary that tonight. She wanted to, so Clary would know what she was going through. So Clary would know what could be holding her back.

Maia wanted to be with Clary, to discover her, to know more than the little she knew. She wanted to know about her childhood and her life. She wanted to discover more little quirks of hers, like how she took her coffee with a lot of milk, more milk than actual coffee and a bunch of sugar. Maia liked that about her.

She liked the sweetness in Clary, in her smile and her eyes. In the twinkle she had when she bit into a cinnamon roll she stole from the breakfast spread at the inn.

“So. Tell me about this.” Maia coaxed, looking at the other woman.

Clary nodded. “This fountain was made, like the sign says, in the middle of the 10th century.” She started. “It was made in honor of the Lagu Clan.” She added, gesturing at the tall letter carved in the first panel they saw.

“This is the Lagu letter. It’s a I rune. And Lagu is the reconstructed name for it. It’s Old English. It means Ocean.”

‘Fitting, for a town that lived and breathed through the ocean,’ Maia thought.

Clary kept going. “The Lagu Clan are the ancestors of the Lightwoods. Lightwood is just the way the name evolved with the centuries.”

Now that the Lightwood name was associated with the fountain… Maia could pinpoint what has seemed familiar about the figures carved into the stone. It was them. Inexplicably, the Lightwoods as she knew them were carved into millenia-old stone.

The two men were Alec and Magnus. Then there was Meliorn with his face tattoos and Isabelle. Maryse and Luke. Even Max, the youngest. It was impossible.

“How is it possible? It’s them?” She blurted out.

Clary shrugged next to her. “You’ll have to ask them.” She went on with her explanation of what the carvings meant. “There are waves and fish carved on each panel, as well as some words describing parts of the ocean.” She pointed at a series of runes on each panel. “Tide. Depth. Wave.” She explained.

Clary knew it was actually the Lightwoods. There were many unusual things about that family, and she knew some of their secrets. Not all though. They were secretive, even with her. Or maybe they just didn’t feel like sitting down and explaining a thousand years of stories to her.

She got anecdotes, things about how they’d met, or how their lives had been before and after, or during. It was fascinating most of the time. And the curious magic that linked them and the fountain.

Before Maia could start asking questions Clary couldn’t answer, she started moving them to Santiago’s. The bar was one of the most frequented of the small town. Their tapas were good. Fun to eat with beer or wine or other soft drinks. It was fun too, often accompanied with loud music and people enjoying themselves..

They got a drink and some food and chatted. They’d both missed those gentle moments, those soft conversations, peppered with flirting. Maia wanted to go back to the cove with Clary now.

Flashes of her dream from the night before came to her mind when she saw the redhead lick her lips. She wanted to know what it was really like to have sex with Clary Fray. Was her imagination right? Was she even better?

“What are you thinking about?” Maia blushed and mumbled “nothing” then took a big sip of her sangria. Clary laughed and Maia followed her laugh with her own. It was just perfect.

Maia reached for Clary’s hand about half way through the dinner and Clary let her. They held hands as much as possible then, only letting go when they needed both hands to eat.

“Come on.” Clary muttered, a twinkle in her eye, when a song she knew came on. Maia didn't have time to complain, she was already pulled towards the dancefloor.

Clary’s arm wound tightly around her waist, one of her legs in between Maia’s as she shifted them expertly around the floor. They were flush from hip to breast, Clary’s leg regularly pushing up against Maia’s crotch as she grinded against her. Maia wrapped her arms around her date’s - because it was obvious that they were back to their flirting games - neck.

Clary leaned in so close that Maia could feel her breath against her skin. She kept her close as they moved. Clary’s smirk was wide and Maia wanted to kiss her again. She shrugged. Fuck it.

When she kissed her, her knee brushed against Clary’s crotch. The sound she made was swallowed by Maia’s lips and the music around them. After a second of surprise, Clary kissed back, her hands on Maia’s hips to keep her close.

The music changed, the beat slower now. It was sensual and their dance changed as well. Their kisses too. Maia could barely breathe. Not only because of the way Clary was kissing her, breathless and intense and again and again like she was hungry for her mouth, starving really.

Clary didn’t seem to care if people stared at them, and Maia agreed. She just wanted to keep their lips glued together and she wanted to feel as desired and beautiful as Clary had made her feel in her dreams. It was kind of selfish really. She wanted Clary to make her feel good, to take care of her. She deserved it.

The barman ended up gently coaxing them out after more drinks and more making out that was threatening to turn into way more scandalous things on the dancefloor. They walked out giggling, Clary’s hand in the pocket of Maia’s jeans, grabbing from time to time at her ass.

Maia cupped her cheek and brought Clary’s face to hers, pressing their lips together again. Her eyes were mostly closed and she almost tripped on a cobblestone. They both laughed at her lack of balance. Maybe one too many drinks…

They made it to the beach again. The beach that seemed to be the backdrop of most developments in their relationship lately. The beach where Maia had kissed Clary for the first time, and maybe where they would seal part of their relationship. It was dangerous for Maia’s heart, but she didn’t want to pretend she didn’t care for Clary.

She cared for Clary like she’d cared for few before her. She wanted to see her in many ways, she wanted to spend time with her. She looked forward to waking up in the morning, knowing Clary would be downstairs. Knowing that someday, Clary would be the first thing she would see.

Clary went back on the assault of Maia’s lips. The strength with which she crashed into the other woman sent them both tumbling down on the sand. Their breath was cut suddenly when they crashed into each other, but the second after they were laughing hysterically.

Maia was laying under Clary on the sand, laughing so loudly, with a smile as wide as it could get. Her body didn’t react violently at Clary being on top of her in that way. And even if it didn’t seem like much… to her it meant a lot.

Clary leaned down to kiss her more, feeling Maia’s hands on her hips, moving up and down between her ass and her belt. This was a mess. They were making out laying on a beach, a beach that probably wasn’t empty. After a few more minutes of Clary trying to get herself to move away from Maia’s delicious kisses, she finally managed to pull back.

“We should move to somewhere more private. The North Coves. The ones that are on the Lightwoods’ property.” She muttered and stood up, pulling Maia up with her. They stumbled together again and started walking towards the coves.

Clary was going to show Maia her other form. It wasn’t that dangerous, when she trusted Maia like she did. What could happen?

The walk to the cove was quick. They kissed more on the way, stopped sometimes for a minute to kiss hard and deeper but always kept moving forward somehow. They passed the Lightwood house and passed a cabin that Clary indicated as her home. Soon, sand gave way to stone and Maia was standing in a cove even more surreal than the one she was used to.

She barely stopped to think before she let go of Clary’s hand and took off her pants, before jumping into the water with the rest of her clothes on. It splashed about and Clary laughed. She looked down at Maia, at her smile and how she seemed to be enjoying herself so much.

She was lost in admiring the girl she wanted to call hers, and didn’t see the shadows crawling closer.

They crawled from the bottom of the ocean and pounced on her. Dark, slimy creatures.

Something grabbed Maia’s foot. It tugged her down. The young woman yelped. Clary saw the fear like a cloud on her face. Her eyes begged for something Clary didn’t have time to do. Her hands slipped against the stone. Maia tried desperately to pull herself back up. She broke a nail on the smooth surface. They tugged her deeper. Her other foot was now pulled back too. She took one last desperate breath before she was dragged under.

Clary watched her disappear before she could transform.

Maia grabbed at things around her ankle, trying to pry them off. The skin of the creature was slippery. She struggled and her fingers slipped away. She felt something hard hit the back of her head and things went dark.


	9. Under the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: temporary character death, violence

The girl was pretty, Valentine had to give his daughter that. Unmistakably human though. Jocelyn was pulling the girl by the feet down to their cave. 

Clary would come back to the ocean. She would refuse the life of the Lightwoods, the life of those who would destroy them. The life of the ones that had made the Morgensterns monsters. She needed to see the truth about those people. 

What better way to show her how pervasive and actually meaningless the Lightwoods were, than to take from Clary to one thing she now cherished on the surface, and watch as the Lightwoods were unable to bring her back? 

Then. Then, she would see how their powers were small and they were only good for cursing people and abusing their trust, for hurting and manipulating. Then, she would come back to them, to her parents, to where she belonged. 

Valentine helped Jocelyn wrap seaweed around the unconscious woman’s ankles to keep her anchored to the bottom of the ocean. 

They didn’t have much to do now. Just wait for their daughter to come and rescue her paramour. It would work, they knew it. The girl was dying already and soon she would be only food for fish and the Lightwoods would shrug and walk away. Like they always did. 

Back on the shore, Clary ran as fast as she could to the manor, fear and pain pushing her to go faster than she ever had. She barged into the living room, where Magnus was pouring coffee for the rest of the Lightwoods, sitting around the table. 

“What’s going on, dear?” Magnus asked and Clary sniffled. Tears were streaming down her face already. Humans didn't last long enough in water.

“It’s Mom and Dad. They took Maia.” She managed to say, panting and crying. 

In a second, they were all up on their feet. The entire clan ran to the water, ran into the sea, feet anchored onto the sand at the bottom even after they disappeared under the surface. 

Clary led them, swimming as fast as she could, as they ran through the water, clothes barely holding them back. There was fear and fury in each motion of the mermaid’s tail, in each step the Clan took on the bottom of the sea. 

Izzy exchanged a look with Alec. They all knew they couldn’t bring her back, even if they tried. They didn’t have those kinds of powers, no matter how many they were, or how hard they tried. It had taken years for them to recuperate from cursing the Morgensterns and uncursing Clary. All they could do was pray to more powerful Gods to be merciful and keep Maia alive until they could get her to the surface. 

It took mere seconds for them to reach the cave where Valentine and Jocelyn were waiting for them. 

Valentine bared villiform teeth at the Lightwood Clan. Jocelyn’s hand was wrapped on the wrist of the unconscious girl they’d captured. 

Maia’s skin was almost grey in this light, even with Clary’s perfect vision. She felt her heart stop. Maia was dying. She knew it, maybe she was already dead.

“Please.” She begged. “Please, just let her go. She doesn't deserve to die.” 

Maryse stepped forward. “Morgensterns. You have already been cursed once. We’d thought you would have understood the lesson.” She said icily. 

Izzy gently brushed Clary’s shoulder. She could see the pain in the woman’s knotted shoulders. She knew why. She could only wait. 

Valentine snickered at Maryse. “Righteous gods.” He rolled his eyes. “You robbed us of our lives and then of our daughter. You’ve taken more than we deserved.” 

“You murdered and tortured innocent sea creatures! You polluted and destroyed the town and the sea. It took us decades to undo what you had done!” Meliorn hissed. 

Clary stood silently, eyes just stuck on the lifeless form of the woman she loved. Yes, she loved her. It was a bit stupid to look at someone like that, someone she barely knew. Fuck, she couldn't lose her now. 

“Just let the human go.” Luke said calmly. “This isn’t about her.” 

Jocelyn huffed. “It is. We want our daughter back. If she sees how useless and cruel you are, how you only use your power for pain, and not for love, she will come back to us.” 

“She knows we cannot bring humans back to life. Death is something we cannot undo, not like this.” Maryse replied. 

Clary tensed under Izzy’s hand. She knew it, yet it hurt to hear it. She could feel her heart breaking, little by little, as seconds ticked away. Her mother’s fingers were still wrapped around Maia’s wrist, even if she was bound to the ocean floor by thick seaweed. 

There was no hope to have. It was stupid, Maia was probably dead by now.

“Give us the human, or we’ll take her from you. You may now be sea creatures, but we are still gods.” Maryse threatened. 

They would all see the Morgensterns dead or captured before they let them hurt more people or things. This couldn’t continue. 

When the pollution had reached a too important level, before Clary was born, the Lightwoods had decided that the Morgensterns could not be permitted to continue their violence and cruelty much longer. 

They’d done their duty. They’d protected Alicante and the bay, they’d protected the people and the creatures. They’d cursed the Morgensterns. They had turned them into the creatures they had hunted and tortured, taken in and out of the water and cut their fins. They hadn’t known, then, of the life inside of Jocelyn’s womb, of Clary yet to be born. 

They’d managed to undo the curse just enough for Clary to be able to live as normally as possible. As human-like as possible. 

They had not taken Clary away, they’d just given her the chance to see for herself what the world outside of the sea was like. And Clary had chosen the world, instead of the sea. 

Her parents’ fear-mongering had only worked for so long, until she’d discovered the humans and the Lightwoods. 

Now, Valentine and Jocelyn wanted to punish their daughter for her curiosity. For her love of humans. For the love she wasn't giving them. 

“Please. Mom.” Clary whispered, tears adding to the water of the ocean. She just wanted to be happy. She wanted to be happy and with Maia but now she couldn’t. “Please, Mom. Just let her go.” 

“We will take her if you refuse,” Alec added, standing by his sister’s side. The entire clan was lined up, all starting to summon their power, Magnus in the middle. 

Valentine rolled his eyes. “What will you do to us that is worse than what you have already done, Clan?” He spat. 

Maryse smiled. Clary had never seen her smile so dangerously at anyone. The entire family looked like they were ready for war, eyes cold and jaw clenched, ready to enlish holy hell onto the people she’d called parents.

There was something so… comforting about it. She had a family, even if her parents did not care for her enough, or at least not in the right way. 

“We will cast you down.” Maryse hissed. “We will keep you in a prison at the bottom of the ocean, far from our home. In the dark. Where no human has ever gone.” 

“Progress was always your excuse for the miasma you unleashed upon the water. You’ll be pleased to know you are the first human-like creatures to ever go there.” Luke continued. 

“Or we will kill you,” Alec added. “Then you won't cause any more problems to anyone.” The ferocious tone of his voice was enough to send shivers down the spines of the two accused. 

“She’s dead already. What’s the point in even fighting for the human?” Jocelyn shrugged, watching them. She could still sense a pulse in the human’s body but said nothing. 

“Give us the girl.” Magnus demanded. He could feel the fight growing in the clan. He was himself the catalyst for their power, able to amplify it greatly. It left him exhausted most of the time but it was worth it. 

“No.” 

It was enough to send Izzy lunging forward, swiping at the creature with sharp nails and a vengeful scream. Valentine managed to dodge it but the goddess’s foot caught his tail and kicked it back. 

It wasn't enough to break anything but it still hurt and he cowered back. Jocelyn took his place and managed to grab at Izzy’s hair. 

The clan was quick to join after that. Their hands were not enough to penetrate the tough skin of the creatures, but they were enough to harm them, break bones or bruise. 

Clary watched as her family fought off her parents.

Luke ended up the first injured, opening his arm on one of the too-sharp rocks that covered the habitat of the Morgensterns. Blood seeped into the water and Clary smelled it. 

Jocelyn and Valentine were in a worst state though. Broken bones and hurt tails and fight weaker and weaker by the minute. They were obviously losing, but huddled around their prized captive. 

The second they started inching away from where Maia was anchored, Clary struck. She swam up and grabbed at the seaweed, tearing it apart to free the woman. 

She grabbed at it and tugged desperately, trying not to harm Maia but still working as fast as she could to untangle her feet from the weed. 

It finally gave way. 

Clary grabbed Maia by the waist immediately, exchanging a look with Alec. The Lightwoods would keep fighting the Morgensterns and would win without any problem, she could focus on Maia. 

Wth powerful swishes of her tail, Clary pulled Maia up to the surface. They finally breached it, after seconds of her thinking it was too far away, of her cursing her own ability for speed, with her barely-healed fin and the unusual situation of having to carry someone. 

Maia didn’t take a breath when Clary angled her face outside of the water. Fuck. 

Clary strained to swim to the shore this time, fear and despair helping her move forward just as much as adrenaline. She morphed back at the last minute and pulled Maia onto the sand. 

She wasn’t moving.

——

On the town square, the fountain started to glow. It was the middle of the night now, and yet no one realized what was happening. Except maybe an old woman sitting at her window watching the quiet town. She smiled, and closed her curtains. This was not something for her to witness. 

The blue light around the stone changed colors, getting lighter and lighter until it was white, then switching to a golden shade. 

It moved over the stone, eyes of the carvings strangely conscious now. If anyone had walked by, they would have seen eyes following them, brown, blue or golden. 

The light settled on the one side of the fountain that had yet to be carved. No one had ever questioned what was missing, partly because the humans all knew it wasn’t a question for them to ask. It was a question the humans would never get the answer to. 

Only those of the inhumane kind, gods or mermaids, knew of the secrets of the Lagu magic, the Lagu fountain. 

When the light dissipated, a new carving was on the previously blank slate. It was a woman with dark eyes that followed everyone in suspicion. It was a woman with curly hair and a scar on her neck. It was a woman in modern clothes, because she was not as old as the other gods depicted on the stones. 

It was a woman the town of Alicante had come to know and love. It was Maia Roberts.


	10. Divinity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: temporary character death

Maia lay on the sand, motionless and lifeless. It was a sight that Clary had never imagined she would be faced with. 

She’d known her parents would try again to get her to come back to the ocean. But she hadn't thought they would hurt Maia. 

“Please, wake up.” Clary whispered, tears streaming down her face. She pushed Maia onto her side, watching as some water poured out of her open mouth. 

When the water stopped, she pulled her lover back on her back and leaned in to breathe air into her mouth. Clary was shuddering from her wet skin and from fear and sadness, trying to do correct mouth-to-mouth while sobbing. 

“Please. Maia.” The mermaid begged, pausing for a second before diving back into the resuscitation. 

Maia was already cold to the touch, from staying into the coldest of waters and from the life having left her body. Her lips were blue from drowning. Clary couldn’t stand it. 

She was breathing as much air into her as she could, when the Lightwoods started walking back out of the water. 

They would have been a strange sight to anyone that wasn’t Clary. Six people walking out of the ocean, battered and bloody and with a vengeful fire in their eyes. 

Magnus had an exhausted appearance and was leaning against his husband, while Alec had a gash on his cheek. They all looked tired from an obvious fight, and any fire they had was extinguished when they saw Clary struggling to bring Maia back. 

Maryse went to sit by the redhead’s side, watching her start massaging her heart, going over and over again over the basic CPR measures. 

Clary looked up at her, and Maryse’s heart broke when she saw the pain and despair in the young woman’s eyes. 

“Please,” Clary begged. Maryse knew what she was going to ask and she dreaded it. Because there was only one answer to that question. 

“Clary…” Izzy whispered, a half-hearted attempt to keep her friend from asking, from asking that question they could not give a positive answer to. 

“Please, bring her back.”

Izzy dissolved into tears then, burying her face in Meliorn’s chest. Clary had asked the one thing they could not do. Death was final, when you were a mortal. Every member of the Lightwood Clan had lost someone to death, someone cherished. 

Isabelle remembered when she was back in what was now called Denmark. She remembered the day she’d died, in a raid orchestrated by a nearby Jarl. She’d been fighting with her friends, fellow shieldmaidens. She remembered the pain of waking up alone, in the middle of the bodies of her decimated friends, bodies of the women that had not been beautiful enough to be enslaved. 

She remembered the blood and semen on clothes, and the anguish when she’d found her husband’s body. 

Her screams had alerted other survivors. Her brothers and mother. Max, Alexander and Maryse. Others like her, who had woken up from death itself. Alexander had long thought himself unworthy of even the realm of Hella. He’d thought the Allfather had forsaken him and hadn’t even wanted him to leave Earth. 

It had taken years, decades for the man to accept he was now one of the Gods he had worshipped, and that he had been given a gift greater than being allowed into Valhalla. Truth be told, it had been difficult for all of them to adapt to this new, lonely reality. 

Now it would have to be Clary’s time. In another, different way. But they could only tell her how lucky she was. It would only hurt her for one lifetime. Isabelle still remembered her husband’s body on the ground,even if she was with her One now. 

Luke went to sit by Clary’s other side. “I’m sorry, kid. Death is final to mortals.” He said, as softly as he could. 

Clary’s body was shaken by a violent sob. 

“No!” She cried. “Please, you have to be able to do something!” 

Maryse searched for a pulse, for anything, with both hands and magic but she wasn’t able to find anything that could mean good news. “I’m sorry, Clary, she’s gone.” 

Clary shook her head. “No.” She whispered. “No! She can’t be dead!” She screamed this time. 

Luke wrapped her in his arms, trying to soothe her. They’d all been through enough pain to know it hurt horribly, especially for one so young. Clary refused to give up, pushing him away.. 

“Maia!” She cried. “Please, wake up!” Clary pulled her close, pressing a kiss to Maia’s forehead. “I can’t do this alone. Please, I can’t lose you.” 

Maia was a light Clary had come to cherish in her life. Her laugh was something that made her want to get up in the morning. She wanted her by her side, for as long as possible. And now she couldn't have it anymore. 

Her heart felt like it had been ripped out of her chest. She wanted to scream, scream against the world, against the person who had decided that Maia wouldn’t wake up and that Clary would be alone now. 

Luke tried to soothe her again but Clary pushed him back again. She didn’t want to be held; she just wanted this nightmare to stop. She wanted Maia to wake up. She needed her to. 

Clary stayed for what seemed like hours on the beach, cradling Maia close. When her tears ran out, she just held her. Anyone who tried to get her away failed. The Lighwoods left, one by one, leaving Clary to her mourning, and going to patch up the wounds they’d sustained during their battle with Jocelyn and Valentine. 

The sun was rising up again and Maia was still lifeless. Clary watched as rays made the ocean look like molten metal. She watched as they caressed Maia’s face. She watched as they drowned the nearby rocks in a rose gold color. She watched as they brought a hint of color back to Maia’s cheeks, and played with her eyelashes as they fluttered open. 

It took Clary seconds, long, slow seconds, to realize that Maia’s eyes were open. 

“You cried.” Maia whispered. “Where am I?” 

Clary was in too much shock to speak. She sat silent for a long time. Maia was alive. Maia…. Maia was… she was a goddess. A goddess like the Lightwoods. It had to be. It was the only way. It had been hours since her heart had stopped beating. 

Somehow, Clary started crying again, this time in relief. 

Maia sat up immediately to wrap her in her arms, holding her close. “Hey, hey, baby, Clary, don’t cry. Don’t cry, baby. It’s okay. I’m okay, we’re fine.” She whispered, rubbing Clary’s back soothingly. She didn’t understand why Clary was in this state but it was all okay now. 

Clary held Maia tighty, sobbing into her shoulder until she realized she needed to tell her she loved her. Things like explaining what had happened and telling the Lightwoods and telling Maia about the Lightwoods and what she now was… it could wait a little. She pulled back a little and looked straight into Maia’s eyes. They looked almost golden, hit by the sunlight in such a way. 

“I…. realized that… I love you.” Clary whispered. “I almost lost you Maia. I almost lost you and I couldn’t… I couldn’t tell you that I love you. And that I want to be with you. Being with you makes me want to write cheesy poetry.” 

Maia looked back at her with emotion beyond compare in her eyes. There were few people that had been this… romantic? To her in her life. Few people that had told her those things. 

“What happened?” Maia asked soflty. “What happened to make you feel this way?” 

“My parents… they took you into the sea and you drowned and I…” Clary whispered and looked at her. “I thought you were gone.” 

Maia was silent for a long time. There was a lot of things to unpack. Clary’s parents were the slimy things that had pulled her down? Maia had drowned and come back to life? 

“Your parents….” 

Clary nodded. “My father Valentine Morgenstern was the CEO of Morgenstern Chemicals. They would pollute and throw chemicals into the sea nearby…” She whispered. “Him and my mother also like to hunt sea creatures for fun, cut off their fins and throw them back in.” 

Maia turned to stare at the undisturbed surface of water. She remembered learning the Morgensterns’ disappearance and the dismantling of their industry. Her marine-ecosystem-balance teacher had told them about it. 

Clary continued her tale. “The Lightwoods decided to curse them, turn them into creatures alike the ones they’d hurt. They have lived under water ever since. That’s where I was born. A mermaid.” 

Maia stared at Clary for a moment in silence. A mermaid? The Lightwoods cursing others? 

Sensing her disbelief, Clary turned into her mermaid form. It was uncomfortable on the sand but it was fine. 

Sunrise light made the silver-blue scales of her tails shimmer in a pinker tone. Clary swished her tail, shivering when Maia gently touched the place where bigger scales shifted into smaller ones around her hips. 

“You’re beautiful.” Maia said tenderly. She cupped the mermaid’s cheek and leaned in to kiss her softly. Her lips were softer than Maia had imagined. Clary melted into the kiss, and morphed back to her human form to be able to hold her more easily. 

Maia tasted the world differently now. Clary’s lips tasted different. The energies around her were more vibrant. Maybe it was due to the whole resuscitation thing. They pulled back after a moment. 

“Where are your parents now?” Maia asked.

For the first time since she’d rescued Maia, Clary asked herself that question. She was almost certain that the Lightwoods had killed them. Gods old as them, with the kind of history they all had… they wouldn’t have been entirely merciful for long. Clary couldn’t bring himself to care fully. 

“The Lightwoods took care of them.” She promised.

“What are them? The Lightwoods?” Maia pressed, needing answers to the questions she’d been asking herself since she’d met the family. 

“I think they can explain better than me.” Clary had a small sorry smile, that Maia kissed away immediately, 

They kissed softly for a moment, making promises in unspoken whispers. 

Maia looked back at her, taking a deep breath. “I love you too.” She whispered. 

———-

Later that morning, they sat together, huddled under a blanket they didn’t need on the Lightwoods’ couch. Clary’s head rested on Maia’s shoulder and she was holding her hand as if she was afraid to let go. Maia’s eyes felt out of focus, and she’d just started to sare absent-mindedly at the calligraphy of Arabic characters, carved into a piece of wood, and painted gold, stark over the white wall, in front of her. 

Across from them, on the other couch and one of the chairs, the Lightwood clan - except for the youngest, Max, who was still asleep - stared at Maia with curiosity. In all honesty, none of them had expected her to be one of them. 

Becoming a god was never something that one could predict, neither in themselves, or in someone else. It seemed to happen at random, and all of the clan had asked themselves why they had been spared from death, and not others. 

They’d spent the last hour or two telling Maia their own stories. 

Magnus had been born in the Sañjaya dynasty, rulers of the Mataram Kingdom, in Ancient Java. He’d never been a ruler himself, but had always wanted to travel. It had been a great surprise to wake up from death with divine powers, something that was believed to be only for rulers. 

Maryse, Alec, Izzy and Max had been a family in a Viking village in Denmark when they’d died and come back. They had been the children and grandchildren of an Andalusian envoy. They’d eventually left what their slaughtered village and come to Al-Andalus, seeking some kind of family there. They’d been only met with hostility and they had eventually fled, taking Luke with them. 

It was then that they’d come to America, following other Viking ships that had explored there. Knowing there could only be pain and heartache if they come back, they’d settled in what would become Alicante. 

It had taken almost a millenia for them to meet Meliorn. He’d been a Christian immigrant from the Ottoman province of Syria, in modern day Lebanon, but had still been human when they’d met. 

They’d been all living in the manor together, ever since Meliorn’s death. Their different cultures and beliefs rarely clashed, and, especially after years, they were a harmonious family. 

Maia listened and yearned for this kind of family dynamic. The love and care between all of these people, despite their obvious difference, made her feel warm. It made her feel as if there was a hope for humanity, and they weren’t doomed to hurt each other over their differences over and over again. 

It didn’t take long for her to realize that she was part of this family now. Her mezuzah belonged at the door, and those who would pass it would also see the shrine by the door once they were in. She had a family now.

Maia Roberts was now part of the Lagu Clan. 

The night was falling again, and everyone was exhausted. Izzy kissed her cheek and hugged her close before retreating to her bedroom, up the tall stairs of the manor. Soon enough, most of the family had gone to their bedrooms. 

Maia’s hand was squeezed by Clary as the two of them walked out to Clary’s cabin; on the property of the family. 

Maia Roberts was now part of the Lagu Clan. By her side, was Clary Fray.


	11. Epilogue

“Happy Birthday, baby.”

Maia Roberts woke up to her girlfriend’s voice in her ear. They lay comfortably on their bed, in the cabin they both now called home. 

Sun was streaming through the window just above her head. They were still wrapped up in their sheets, in the slow morning softness. Maia shifted lazily, opening her eyes. 

In front of her, the white curtains around the bed were pulled shut for privacy.

The cabin was made entirely of wood, with one level. The bed was tucked against the corner of the room, under a window and against one of the walls. The ceiling was slanted at that point. 

Maia buried her face in the still incredibly fluffy pillow. She stayed that way for a few moments, until the gentleness of Clary’s hands on her waist brought her back to the world of consciousness. 

“You know it isn’t my real birthday, right?” Maia teased sleepily as she shifted, turning to face her girlfriend. 

Clary smiled at her. Maia was once again reminded of how much she loved her. The light of the late morning sun fell onto her face softly, caressing her features and playing into her hair. 

Maia pressed a kiss to her cheek. It was summer so Clary’s freckles were out to play. She smiled back. 

“Hmm. Still. You’re older now.” Clary chuckled, pushing her tenderly back on the bed. She straddled her hips and pinned her shoulders to the bed. 

“I haven't aged a day in five years.” Maia gasped when she was pushed back, hands sliding to Clary’s ass and playing with the lace trim of her shorts. “And you haven’t either.” 

“Immortal goddesses still deserve birthdays. At least that’s what Izzy told me.” Clary shrugged. She let her fingers trail over the curves of Maia’s breasts. 

Maia hummed, fingers caressing her girlfriend’s skin. There wasn’t a single residue of hesitation, so long after. 

“Does this mean Izzy threw me a birthday party?” She asked and Clary chuckled. 

“Maybe… but, I want us to have our own kind of party before…” Clary’s voice was low and soft, seductive as she started slowly grinding her hips against Maia’s. 

The friction of the grinding, with the shorts still between them, made her moan softly. Clary smirked at that. She reached for the edge of Maia’s top and pulled it off of her.

Clary gently dragged her nails on the underside of her breasts, watching as shivers erupted over her lover’s body. Immortal or not, Clary knew what got her girlfriend going. The redhead rubbed herself down more, harder, her hands suddenly squeezing gently Maia’s breasts. 

“Baby…” Maia moaned softly, and tugged at Clary’s top as well. She pulled it over her head. As she threw the garment to the side, Maia looked up, and she felt her heart stop beating for a short moment. 

The light of the morning played into her red hair and she looked alight with flames, as the locks fell messily around her face. Maia wanted to get lost in kissing her creamy skin until it was marbled with bruises and hickeys. She let her eyes trail down her body, watching as her breasts bounced at each grind. 

Maia sat up, wrapping an arm around Clary to gently guide her to lay back, switching places. She reached to pull off their shorts, sliding the lace down Clary’s legs finally. She dove onto Clary’s neck, lips kissing at the soft white skin. She started grinding down as well, as much as Clary was grinding up. The soft sounds of pleasure coming from Clary’s mouth were a dream. 

“Fuck, so good.” Clary whispered, tugging lightly on Maia’s hair. 

Maia placed one more open-mouthed kiss on her neck before drifting lower, lower, tongue teasing at the sensitive nipple of her right breast. She was started to lick and nibble at the skin softly when Clary pulled her head back up. 

Maia lazily looked up and moved closer to her lips again, stopping millimeters away. She could feel Clary’s slightly heavy breathing on her skin, and she stared right into the redhead’s eyes. 

Clary’s hand trailed gently down her back, holding her close tenderly as she smiled at Maia. The sight of her like this, looking at her, her body flushed against hers as they made love in their bed, was the best thing in her life. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like without her now, without burying her face in the crook of Maia’s neck every time Maia said something way too cute. “I love you.” She whispered, before leaning up to kiss her. 

Maia kissed back, deeply, lovingly, trying to answer to her in this gentle physical way. She loved her too, more than she’d ever loved anyone. The thought of having Clary forever by her side comforted her in the lowest days, and made her feel safer in her future than she’d ever felt before. 

If she could have her in her bed, then everything would be okay. 

They kissed, still grinding against each other. It was maybe less heated than before, just soft and loving and the best version of birthday morning sex that Maia could think about. They kissed for longer, making out and repeating over and over again how they loved each other. 

Later, when they had finally managed to get out of bed and into clothes, they made their way to the Manor. There was no banner over the door, but Maia still knew the Lightwoods had thrown a party. They always threw one. 

Magnus’ parties were maybe legendary, but sometimes she missed her NYC friends at the celebrations. She kept contact with Simon, but she still missed him. Maybe it was time to go visit New York again. 

Clary’s arm was around her waist as they both stepped towards the terrace. It was fresh and nice in the morning, and a bright white canopy had been stretched over the terrace.

“Happy Birthday! The entire family screamed, standing around the table where an amazing brunch, complete with birthday cake, was awaiting her. 

Izzy was, just as usual, the first to hug Maia tightly. She wore a long flowy v neck dress, of an emerald green, simple and elegant, and as always, she looked like a beauty icon. Maia had bonded so easily with her that she was now a dear friend, a sister almost. They both shared a lot of the similar pain in their past. 

Alec gave Maia a quick hug, smiling widely. He was never much of a hugger, unlike his sister. Magnus was the more affectionate of the two. Meliorn kissed her cheeks and went to follow his fiancée. Maryse and Luke both embraced her in a crushing hug. 

Soon enough, Maia was sitting at the head of the table, with a huge vanilla bean and strawberry cake in front of her. The icing said “Happy Re-Birthday” and she blew the five candles cheerfully. 

Music played softly in the background as they served coffee, tea, orange juice and champagne, and Maia bit in her slice of birthday cake with a sigh. It was light and creamy, and sweet. It was the perfect combination of all things she loved, and she couldn’t help the small moan-like sound that escaped her. 

Clary looked back at her with a raised eyebrow, and they both burst into laughter. It was soft, it was good, and it was the life Maia had always wanted. A life full of love, laughter and light. A life that she felt comfortable, felt safe in. Happy. Loved.


	12. Author's Note

Hey, it's the author here!

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